Gary Ramsey Eckl

Gary Ramsey Eckl was born July 18, 1934 in St. Louis, the third son of Otto Eckl, Sr. and Nellie May Ramsey Eckl. He died by his own hand December 12, 2022, on his mother’s birthday. He is preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Otto Eckl, Jr. and Kurt Eckl; one son, Nicholas Steven Eckl; and one nephew, Mark Eckl.

Gary was a city kid who loved nature and hunting. He worked in various trades at Anheuser Busch and as a welder at a cabinet shop in St. Louis. In 1964, Gary fulfilled a dream of living in the country by buying a log cabin with land outside of Bonne Terre, and moving there, with his second wife and their three children. While Gary wanted to be a farmer, he found it took a lot of money for all the things needed to do so. Soon, the commute to St. Louis got to be too much so he became a 7up deliveryman for the Lead Belt and beyond. When his wife graduated college in 1974, Gary was finally able to become the “gentleman farmer” he dreamed of. In 1979, Gary was divorced and he found work at Flat River Glass. He married his third wife, Ann (Sisler) (McVey) Eckl in 1987. Gary beat two kinds of cancer, retired from Flat River Glass at 65, and also survived a triple bypass. In recent years, Ann developed dementia and a few weeks ago, they contracted Covid. Gary was not able to care for Ann as she needed, so she was hospitalized and then transferred to nursing care and hospice in Farmington. Gary’s mental state deteriorated, partially due to not being able to sleep, but depression also contributed given he lost the love of his life twice.

Gary is survived by two daughters, Sandra Oujirl and husband Col. Timon (US Army retired), Suzanne Witzke and husband Randy, a son Scott Eckl and partner Melissa Holifield  and a step-son, Patrick McVey and wife Pamela; five grandchildren, Heidi (Eckl) Cardwell and husband Justin, Nicholas Eckl and wife, Carol, Margaret Witzke, and Madeline (Witzke) Harris and husband Ryan, Becky McVey; one great-grandson, Marshall Cardwell, plus one Eckl grandson due in June; one half-sister, Diana Whittaker; nephews, John Eckl and Glenn Eckl and wife Peg.The Eckl family has been fortunate enough to have the best Bear Creek neighbors, Inez and Earnest Stockton, the Olin and Laura Sikes family and especially Jan (Sikes) Snowdell, the Chester and Mary Douglas family, and Dave and Renee Mullen.

A memorial service is pending. Memorials may be directed to Concordia Turners in St. Louis. or your local suicide prevention group.