Dr. Richard Everett Eckert, age 69, a prominent physician and a resident of Evans, Georgia, died May 12th at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida after a long illness.
Visitation will be from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Monday, May 17th at Platt’s Funeral Home at 337 North Belair Road, Evans Georgia 30809. On Tuesday will be the Memorial Service at the same location at 2pm.
Born May 2, 1941 in Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania, he was the only son of four children to the late Harold E. Eckert and the late Viola (Phillips) Eckert.
Dick Eckert was raised in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and would graduate in 1959 from Carlisle High School as the valedictorian of his class and a three letter athlete in football, basketball, baseball, the captain of each of his teams. He was considered the finest athlete in the Harrisburg area quarterbacking his football team to three titles, playing point guard for his championship basketball team, catcher on his championship baseball team. The final tally on his efforts is impressive and extensive: All Penn Conference in football, basketball, and baseball; All State in football and basketball; American Legion Baseball All Star, the Thom McCann Award-given to the outstanding area football player in 1958; The Harrisburg Area Old Timers Award for football in 1958 and The Ken Millen Award presented to the male or female member of the senior class for athleticism and all around leadership. In 1980, Dick was awarded the Carlisle High School Distinguished Alumnus Award and in 1996 became a member of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, South Central Chapter. He was also an Eagle Scout, the recipient of Scouting’s God and Country Award.
He graduated from United States Military Academy in 1963. While there he was an all around athlete, quarterbacking the Army Football Team and playing baseball and basketball. Academically he was consistently in the top 25% of his class and would be appointed to lead the Corps of cadets as First Captain, the highest ranking senior cadet at the Academy. He was also the recipient of the Knox Award, presented to the graduating senior cadet with the highest rating for military efficiency.
Upon graduating, he began his 22 years as an officer in the Army and serving his country proudly. He was an airborne ranger with two tours in Vietnam in 1965-1966 and 1968-1969, serving with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, his first tour and the 25th Infantry Division during his second. He received two purple hearts, 3 bronze stars, and 2 silver stars.
Dick switched gears in 1972 and became a physician, graduating in 1976 from Emory University School of Medicine. He would retire from the army in 1985 at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia with a rank of Colonel.
Upon his retirement from the military he specialized in pediatrics and emergency medicine. Dick started working at University Hospital in Augusta as the Director of the Emergency Room until 2007. One of his finest accomplishments was starting the first Pediatric Emergency Department in the Augusta area and redesigning the Emergency Department at University.
Duty, Honor, Country: Dick took that motto to his heart the day he entered the United States Military Academy. He lived by it until the day he died. But his story can best be told through the many people he touched in his life and the memories they all have of him doing his duties as a soldier, a doctor, a father, a husband, a son, a brother....as a true leader among us all. He always led by example even to the end. When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.
He was a true leader in any endeavour he followed and a man with true virtues. He was sincere and generous, and he inspired the admiration of all who knew him.
Surviving are his loving wife of 42 years, Jane (Rogers); 2 sons; David H. Eckert (Angela) of Melbourne, Australia; Dr. Michael B. Eckert (Helen) of Evans, Georgia; 4 daughters; Mrs. Carolyn E. Rodriguez (Juan) of Martinez, Georgia; Mrs. Amanda S. Schneider (Russell) of Evans, Georgia; Mrs. Megan M. Onate (Tony) of Evans, Georgia; Mrs. Mary-Kathryn M. Espinoza (Gabriel) of Grovetown, Georgia; 31 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren.
He is also survived by his three sisters; Dr. Jayne Coover (Clark) of Camp Hill, Pennsylvania; Mrs. Mildred E. Norris (Jerry) of Cheyenne, Wyoming and Mrs. Beverly E. Bishop of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania.
And so it is, for after death comes only peace and happiness. And now it is for us, whom he loved so much and spoke about so often, not to mar his happiness by too much sadness, for most surely he is watching over all us for his dying has awakened eternal life for him where hopefully we may all see him again. Dick epitomized the true essence of a gentleman, a husband, a father, a patriot and above all a man. He shall be missed by those lives he touched. And as his course on earth has ended it may truly be said of Dick: “Well done, be thou at peace.”
Should friends desire, the family suggest contributions in memory of Dr. Richard E. Eckert may be sent to the Mayo Clinic Lung Transplant Team, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville Florida 32224.