Evelyn Amelia Eckhardt, 85, a resident of the Franklin Grove Nursing Home, formerly of Mendota, died Oct. 17, 2009 at the nursing home following a long illness.

Funeral service were held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24 at the First General Baptist Church, Rochelle. Visitation was from noon to 1:45 p.m. prior to the funeral on Saturday at the church. Burial was at the Wisner Cemetery in Ophir Township. Unger Horner Funeral Home in Rochelle assisted the family with arrangements.

Mrs. Eckhardt was born April 17, 1924 in Ophir Township to Bert and Olive (Foster) Stevenson. She married John Becker on June 14, 1942. He preceded her in death on July 28, 1956. She then married Milo Hibbetts on June 8, 1958 and they later divorced. She married Eugene Eckhardt on Sept. 27, 1975. He preceded her in death on June 13, 1990.

Survivors include seven children, Sharlene Lysland of Paw Paw, Caren (George) Cobb of Smyrna, Tenn., Dick (Mary Anne) Hibbetts of Cisne, Tim Becker of Pheonix, Ariz., Elizabeth (Darrell) Bolhous of Rochelle, Cheryl (Dean) Meyer of Worland, Wyo. and Roger (Carmen) Eckhardt of Las Vegas, Nev.; 29 grandchildren, Judy, Linda, Kathryn, Mike, Kim, John III, Sheila, Wayne, Nick, Dave, Valerie, Katy-Marie, Reva Victoria, Jennifer, Charles, Debbie, Andrew, Rhonda, Keith, Curtis, Matt, Amie, Roger, Sabrina, Tessa, Caitlyn, Drew, Riley, and Dakota; 48 great grandchildren plus two expecting; two great great grandchildren plus one expecting; and two sisters, Dorothy Becker of Mendota and Ethel Happ of LaMoille.

She was preceded in death by one grandson, Wayne Jr.; two great grandsons, Mikey Olvera and Aaron Cobb; three brothers, Ray, Wayne and Willis; two sisters, Ruth Johnson and Merna Stevens; and a son-in-law, Ron Lysland.

Mrs. Eckhardt attended Mendota Township High School. She worked at the Del Monte cook shack, Heritage Manor Nursing Home and the Elks Lodge as a cook.

Memorials may be directed to Wisner Cemetery.