Martha Eiche

Martha Alice Eiche, 86

Martha Alice Eiche, 86, died Friday, September 7, 2012 at 4:04 a.m., at her residence in Monticello, Indiana. Martha passed away from complicatons from ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).

Born Saturday, June 12, 1926, at Sullivan County, Indiana, her parents were Ceryl B. Downen and Ethel (Ford) Downen.

Her marriage to Milo Eiche was December 21, 1952, in New Albany. She had lived in the Monticello, Indiana, community since 1991.

She was the fifth of six children of a farm family in Sullivan, Indiana. That farm and that family sent Martha, as well as everyone of her brothers and sisters, to college, in Martha's case, to Purdue University, where she jitterbugged to big band swing and studied home ec and speech and hearing. After graduation, Martha landed a job as a therapist in the New Albany, Indiana, public schools. Around Halloween of 1952, she said "yes" to a first date with Milo Eiche, a math teacher at the local junior high. Martha and Milo wasted no time. By Thanksgiving of that year, they were engaged. By Christmas, they had wed. A son, James, came alone in 1954; a daughter, Suzanne, completed the family in 1956. Every few years, as Milo's school career flourished, the Eiche's moved. From New Albany, they ventured to distant Westchester County, New York, for a couple of years before hurrying back home again to Indiana, first to suburban Indianapolis, then to the Bloomington area, then to Bluffton, then Plainfield. Along the way, Martha made sure the family households were handsome and proper while cultivating her own interests in needlepoint, quilting, antiques, and ice cream. When Milo retired, Martha and Milo moved one more time, to Monticello, Indiana, where Suzanne was by then raising a family of her own. The pair built a comfortable house on a bluff overlooking the Tippecanoe River and lived there together for 20 years before, sadly, Martha lost Milo on Wednesday, March 23, 2011. Martha was a faithful member of the Christian Church of Monticello, Indiana.

Survivors include: Son, James M. (wife Melody) Eiche of New York, New York; Daughter, Suzanne (husband Bob) Downey of Monticello, Indiana; Grandchildren, Megan Elizabeth Downey of Baltimore, Maryland, and Pete (wife Kristen) Downey of Plainfield; Great-Grandchild due September 29th; Sisters, Doris Branstetter of Crawfordsville, Indiana, and Ruthanne (husband William) Garlic of Lancaster, Kentucky; Brothers, Carl (wife Margaret) Downen of Crawfordsville, Indiana, and John (wife Zina) Downen of Maderia Beach, Florida.

Preceded in Death: Parents, Ceryl B. and Ethel (Ford) Downen; Husband, Milo L. Eiche; Brother, Earl Downen.

Visitation will be: 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Monday, September 10, 2012, at the Monticello Christian Church, 1002, Airport Road, Monticello, Indiana, 47960. Celebration of Life Services : 1:00 p.m. Monday, September 10, 2012, at the Monticello Christian Church, the Rev. Chris Dodson of the Monticello Christian Church of Monticello, Indiana, officiating. Burial will take place: Hughes Cemetery in rural Monticello, Indiana.

Memorials may be given to the Monticello Christian Church Memorial Garden of Monticello, Indiana. Envelopes will be available at church.

Arrangements by: Miller-Roscka Funeral Home.

www.miller-rosckafh.com