Sally Eick

Sally (Sara J) Eick

Austin, TX - Sally (Sara J) Eick, 87, moved to eternal life Sunday, May 19, 2019, in Austin, TX. Born in Spencer, IA, she attended Spencer public schools, Wellesley College and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Iowa where she was a member of Delta Gamma sorority. She married Harry Eick in1954 and shared 64 years with him. She was preceded in death by her parents, Wilbur and Edith Sackett, two brothers, a sister, and a daughter, Carol. She is survived by her older sister, Elizabeth Fleming, husband Harry, sons John, Stephen, Timothy, Christopher, Peter and Andy, and a daughter, Rebecca Reese; eleven grandchildren, and one great-grand daughter.

Sally ran the family, allowing her husband to spend long hours on research activities. The eight children had to learn to play the piano or a musical instrument, participate in an organized activity (sports/scouting), or sometimes do both. She coordinated music lessons on piano, drums, trumpet, baritone and trombone. Even if making dinner, when an erroneous note was played she would sometimes loudly call out the correct note. She expressed her joy of music by serving for many years as song leader at church and at a local nursing home.

In college she was a bagpiper in the Iowa Hawkeye Girls Scottish Highlander band and participated in one of it's European tours. Her scrapbook of the tour is over six inches thick.

An avid reader, she was unable to pass a bookstore without making a purchase. Her collection of religious books, particularly those on John of the Cross and St. Theresa filled many shelves of multiple bookcases. During summer vacations weekly trips to the library assured that each child had a stack of books at hand. She was masterful with words and expressed her thoughts both cleverly and precisely.

Sally was an avid sports fan. When the newspaper arrived she would grab and digest the sports section. She was interested in any sporting activity, could quote statistics on professional and college baseball, basketball, hockey and football teams, and was a particular fan of the local Michigan State Spartans.

Clouds of depression which disappeared the first fifteen years of her marriage randomly returned like clouds over the sun to mask Sally's exuberant personality. She enjoyed housework, particularly ironing in front of the fireplace while listening on the radio and later watching on TV either the Red Wings or Tigers. Having a fire made the experience more enjoyable.

She took delight in reading first to her own children and later to the grand kids. She would sit on a lower stair step and read stories to the kids upstairs after everyone was in bed. In later years in addition to reading she would play any kind of card game with the grand kids.

She immersed herself in Carmelite spirituality and was a vowed member of the Flint and later the Traverse City, MI Infant Child of Prague community. Daily she prayed the Divine Office and wrote in a journal, activities that ceased when dementia slowly robbed her first of the ability to read, then to write, and finally to articulate her thoughts. Even then, she always had a ready smile.

Visitation will take place on Monday, June 10, 6 to 8 p.m., at the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home, 305 6th St., Traverse City, with the Rosary being recited at 7 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday, June 11, at 11 a.m. at St. Francis Catholic Church, 1025 S Union St., Traverse City, MI.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to: Father Fred Foundation, P. O. Box 2260 Traverse City, MI 49685.

Please share your memories of Sally with her family by visiting her online guest book at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com. The family is being cared for by Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services.