Erika Eckel

Erika Eckel, 89, Minot,

ND, passed away Monday,

September 21, 2021, at

Trinity Homes in Minot.

Erika Gros was born

May 4, 1932, the daughter

of Jakob and Elisabeth

(Boldorf) Gros, in

Kaiserslautern, Germany.

She was raised and edu-

cated in in Kaiserslautern.

As a young child, war be-

gan in Germany and by

age 12, she was drafted to

work in a factory that

made gloves and uniforms

for the French Army. Eri-

ka had many stories to

share of her experiences

of growing up during this

tumultuous time in her

life.

In 1955, Erika met the

love of her life, Vernon

Eckel, while he was sta-

tioned at Ramstein Air

Force Base in Kaiserslau-

tern, Germany. Erika and

Vernon were united in

marriage June 30, 1956, in

Kaiserslautern, Germany.

In July of 1958, they were

stationed at Chanute Air

Force Base in Rantoul, Il-

linois, and then in Oc-

tober of 1963, they were

stationed at the Minot Air

Force Base. It was in

Minot, that they decided

to make their home. For

many years, Erika worked

as a seamstress/tailor for

several Minot businesses,

including a time when

she had her own shop in

downtown Minot, Erika’s

Tailor Shop. Vernon

passed away January 25,

2018.

Following her

husband’s death, she con-

tinued to reside at Trinity

Homes in Minot.

She was a member of

Little Flower Catholic

Church in Minot, the Ger-

man Club and while Vern

was stationed at MAFB,

she started the NCO

Wives Club.

She enjoyed dancing,

square dancing, cooking,

baking, sewing, quilting,

crocheting, and knitting.

Her loving family in-

cludes: children, Gertie

Miles, Prescott, AZ, Eliza-

beth (Guy) Armstrong,

Minot, and Vernon (Pame-

la) Eckel, Jr., Burlington,

ND; grandchildren, Ray

(Dana) Rutherford, Starla

Miles, Michelle (Andy)

Tallman, Mike Fettig,

Brandon (Makesha) Fettig,

Jacob Eckel, and Joshua

(Sara) Eckel;

great-grandchildren: Sun-

ny and James Miles; Ka-

dyn, Grayson, Teegan,

and Emersyn Tallman;

and Kamyah and Keenan

Fettig; great-great grand-

daughter, Jayden Miles;

and nieces, nephews, and

their families. Erika was

preceded in death by her

parents; husband of 61

years, Vernon, Sr.; infant

daughter, Eva Marie Eck-

el; son-in-law, Marvin Fet-

tig; brother and his wife,

George (Maria) Gros; sis-

ters and their spouses,

Annaliese (George) Mull-

er, and Sophie (Art)

Crapse; brothers-in-law

and their spouses, Erwin

(Ann Weaver) Eckel and

Keith (Elaine) Eckel; and

sister-in-law, Barbara

Peterson.

Mass of Christian Buri-

al: Tuesday, September

28, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. at

Little Flower Catholic

Church, Minot.

Interment: Rosehill

Memorial Park, Minot,

ND.

Visitation: Monday

from 4 to 6 p.m. at

Thompson-Larson Fun-

eral Home, Minot.

Vigil Prayer Service:

Monday at 5 p.m. at

Thompson-Larson Fun-

eral Home, Minot.

The service will be

livestreamed for the pub-

lic to view and can be ac-

cessed by going to the

Thompson-Larson Fun-

eral home website:

www.thompsonlarson

.com

Those wishing to sign

the online register and

share memories may ac-

cess the online obituaries

section at

(www.thompsonlarson

.com).