Don Eichelberger

Don Eichelberger 1920 - 2011 Early on the morning of August 18, 2011, Don Eichelberger leaped from the hands of "The Committee", into the waiting arms of God. Don was born on September 24, 1920, the second of four sons born to H. Carl and Frances Eichelberger. The family was living in Middleton but soon moved to North 26th Street in Boise, where he and his brothers grew tall and strong, roaming the foothills and helping their father and grandfather in the family business, "Home Oil Company". They were bequeathed an honest, hard-working character along with good humor from their mother. In 1938, the family moved to a farm in Kuna. Don and his older brother Lynn drove to Boise every day until graduating from Boise High. Don went to work for Floyd and Maud German on their ranch, earning $1 per day plus room and board. He said he was never very good with horses, but told of success in breaking one in by riding him in a corral that had two feet of manure so the horse could never quite get enough traction to do him any harm. In 1941, he purchased 40 acres with a tiny one-bedroom house on it and established a dairy farm. During the next few years he farmed in the summer and spent winters working in Atlanta, Idaho at the gold mine there. It was during these years that he met and eventually courted a young schoolmarm from Montana who was teaching at the one-room school house at Ten-Mile. Don was a shy young man, but eventually got up the courage to ask Evelyn Harnish to marry him. She said yes, on Valentine's Day of 1945. Don and Evelyn married in June of that same year and went on to raise six children on the property where he lived and then died, 70 years after buying it. The property is bordered by the Mora Canal and intersected by the railroad. Evelyn thought they might stay there a year or two but would have to move when they had children due to the dangers of trains and canals. She didn't know him well enough then. He wasn't going anywhere. Don farmed, by necessity supplementing his income driving beet truck in the fall, and then working full-time as a carpenter for most of his life. After his six children (the milkers) were grown and gone, he wisely sold the dairy cows and went into the beef cattle business. Finally, at about age 75, he sold the beef cattle and leased out his land. No one else ever quite took care of it properly in his eyes. Generally a quiet man, with a quiet smile and a quiet laugh, he could belt out a version of "Bill Grogan's Goat" in a voice that would belie any semblance of a quiet man. And he would tell any one of the three jokes he knew with gusto and a smile. When he "retired", he began a new artistic career in woodworking, oil painting, string art, tanning leather, and the list goes on. We always knew our dad could fix anything, and first make the tool necessary to do the repair, but it wasn't until then that we discovered he was also an artist. The homes of Don's children and grandchildren, as well as many other relatives and friends, are filled with beautiful works of art; everything from carved cowboy caricatures to a rolltop desk, sleigh bed, musical instruments, jewelry, paintings and much more. He was a humble man, never really knowing just how gifted he was. He was a dearly loved grandfather, leaving many memories of fishing and camping trips, farm work and life lessons taught by example and the occasional well-placed word. He was generous in a low-key way. Simply always available in a time of need. After retirement, many years were spent working the farm and getting in as many fishing trips as possible. Don loved to fish. Evelyn once said that he fishes "like he's killing snakes"! Meaning he was just a little bit obsessed. He loved the mountains. The Salmon River just past Stanley was his favorite destination. Don and Evelyn raised their six children in a one-bedroom house with no indoor plumbing until 1965 when they moved a house onto the property. They put a full basement under it and it had INDOOR PLUMBING!! It was their mansion. Then tragedy struck. In November of 2001, the house burned down and Evelyn died in the fire. Don was 81 years old. With the support of his children, he rebuilt his life on the land where he'd been for 60 years. These last ten years were filled with physical pain and sorrow. And joy. It was such a privilege to surround our father with love and life. By caring for him together, we built even closer relationships with one another that will sustain us for a lifetime. Dad had many health problems in his final years, among other things, losing first one leg, then the other to peripheral vascular disease. He put on prosthetic legs and kept going. He had a motorized chair and a golf cart and kept going. He replaced his woodshop that burned and kept going. After getting his chair stuck, he crawled to the house, tore his rotator cuff and kept going. He had three heart attacks, six stents, a brain shunt and kept going. When he could no longer physically accomplish work, he told others how to do it and kept going. He frankly drove us a bit crazy, getting on his tractor, driving the golf cart all over the countryside, off the road, into the borrow pit, and once, getting stuck on the railroad tracks and requiring the authorities to stop a train. He kept going. Many of us rescued him and more than one neighbor or passerby drove or towed him home after these episodes. We made a rule that he couldn't go on the golf cart by himself. But it was only our rule. He kept going. He was a familiar sight in the countryside for several years driving his golf cart on the wrong side of the road, picking up aluminum cans to donate to the Kuna Baptist Church, where he was a member since 1938. And then he slipped away from us. And kept going. We were able to keep Dad on his place during his last few years with the help of some wonderful people. We want to thank Dad's friend and neighbor, Mary Hayes and her great-grandson, Dad's buddy, Jordan "Mississippi" Ford. They brought life and friendship. Anna Spears, a young woman who eventually moved in and became like family. DeeDee Emery, who came as a housecleaner and became a caregiver as well, because she cared. Then Mike and Andrea Meza made the decision to come live with Dad and help meet his needs. It is because of them that Dad was able to spend his final year where we all know he belonged; in his home, on his land. Andrea took wonderful care of him and Mike became a devoted friend. All of these people and more came to take care of our dad; they fell in love with him and opened themselves up to the heartbreak of losing him. We thank them. Don was predeceased by his wife, Evelyn, both his parents and his older brother Lynn. He is survived by "The committee", daughters Cheryl Keil(Jim), Kathy Henrickson(Terry) and Diane Hartman(Rudy); sons Charles Eichelberger (Diana),Warren Eichelberger(Vicki), Dan Eichelberger(Valerie)and twelve adored grandchildren, Jo Alison Smith, Kirk, Aaron and James Eichelberger, Tony Vandever, Keri Daw, Derek Eichelberger, Stacy Bluma, Byron Henrickson, Stephanie Henrickson, Mandy Frank, and Todd Eichelberger, along with their families, including 29 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at the Kuna Baptist Church on Monday August 22, 2011 at 11:00 A.M. A Viewing will be held prior to the service at 10:00 A.M. Services are under the direction of Chapel of the Chimes Funeral Home, Meridian 888-4454. Memorial contributions may be sent to Kuna Baptist Church, 1250 S. Linder Rd. Kuna Idaho 83634.