Gertrude Doris Eicken

CARROLLTON - Gertrude Doris Eicken, 95, of Carrollton, passed away quietly June 26, 2017, at her home, surrounded by her family.

A woman who loved to stay active, it took acute leukemia to finally slow her down and send her on to join her husband, Arthur, and son, Kenneth, who had preceded her in death.

Gertrude was born Oct. 26, 1921, at LaPrairie, the daughter of John L. and Anna (Albers) Gronewold. She married Arthur L. Eicken in 1943 in Golden then moved to Carrollton in 1959, where they raised four children and were members of the community for the past 58 years.

A graduate of LaPrairie High School and Western Illinois University, she taught elementary grades in rural schools and at Augusta before starting a family. After moving to Carrollton, she became an active member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, participating in various roles over the years, including as Sunday school teacher and superintendent and as a member of the Lutheran Ladies Aid, LWML and Bible Study Group.

Gertrude loved her yard and all the trees and plants that had been planted over the years. She could be seen - up to three weeks before her death - on her lawn tractor, mowing her yard and tending her two-plus acre yard. In her earlier years, she balanced raising four children with growing a garden large enough to feed the family year round, including strawberry and gooseberry crops.

She is survived by a sister, Ruth Kemper, of Summerfield, Florida; daughter Linda Eicken-Mudaro (husband, Tom) of Wilmington, North Carolina; sons Duane Eicken of Golden, and Gary Eicken (wife, Pam) of Auburn; grandchildren Paul Eicken (wife, Danielle) and Beth Eicken; Anna, Dallas, and Jace Eicken; Nicholas Varble; and great-grandchildren Aspen and Skylar Eicken, Kody and Kristopher Brown, and Raelynn Varble.

Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. Friday at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 208 Seventh St. in Carrollton, with a funeral service to follow at 11 a.m. Burial will be at Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery at 3 p.m. in Golden. Airsman-Hires Funeral Home in Carrollton is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials made be made to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church or BJC Hospice. Condolences may be left online at airsman-hires.com.