Obituary of Edward Eichler

Edward "Ed" Eichler, age 71 of Yankton, SD and formerly of Omaha, NE, passed away at 3:55 AM, Wednesday, November 20, 2013 at the Avera Sister James Care Center, Yankton, SD in the company of his wife. A Memorial Mass will be 10:30 AM, Saturday, November 30, 2013 at Majestic Bluffs Gathering Place Sister James Chapel with Msgr. Carlton Hermann officiating. Burial of the cremated remains will be at a later date. Visitation will be one hour prior to service. The Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home & Crematory, Yankton, SD is in charge of arrangements. Edward was born on December 29, 1941 in Fort Dodge, IA to Francis and Agnes (Hickey) Eichler and lived in West Bend, IA and then moved to Pocahontas, IA. Edward attended Sacred Heart Grade School and High School in Pocahontas, IA. He received his Bachelor of Business Degree from Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, IA. He joined the Peace Corp as a President Kennedy volunteer and served from 1965 to 1968. He was stationed in Puerto Rico and Venezuela. He loved and sold John Deere equipment with his father and then with his brother. He and his brother owned a John Deere Dealership, known as Eichler Equipment in Valley, NE. Edward spoke Spanish, played guitar and enjoyed reading books on train steam engines and when a train pulled by, he was always there to watch it come in and re-fuel. He was an emergency severe weather responder since he was a HAM radio operator and his call sign was "WBØBCB". Edward is survived by his wife, Charlotte M. Herman; daughter, Stephanie A. Eichler-Thielen and her son, Tomas Thielen, both of Omaha, NE; son, Paul Edward (Jane Manhart) Eichler and sons, Carter and Rex, all of Omaha, NE. He was preceded in death by his brothers, John and Jim, father and mother. Because of Ed's love of the fine arts, please direct memorials to the Ed Eicher G.E.M.S. Memorial Fund, 2403 Hanscom Boulevard, Omaha, NE 68105.