Dr. Edwin D. "Ed" Ecker

1934 - 2021

Dr. Edwin D. Ecker
Jacksonville - Dr. Edwin "Ed" Duain Ecker, 87, of Jacksonville, passed away on June 23, 2021. Ed was born in 1934 in Plymouth, Indiana to the late Clifford R. and Thelma F. Burkholder Ecker. In 1955, Ed married the love of his life, Betty June Wysong.
Preceding him in death were his wife, his parents, and his brother, John A. Ecker. Surviving family members whom he loved are his sister, Bonita (Ed) Kizer of Huntley, Illinois; his two daughters, Lori Ecker of Evanston, Illinois and Lana (Tim) Shea of Jacksonville, and his son, Steven (Debbie) Ecker of Chesterfield, Missouri. Also surviving are seven grandchildren, Ricky (Caroline) Gonzalez, Matt Gonzalez, Darren (Laurel) Shea, Dustin Shea, Patrick Shea, Brendan Ecker, and Lexi Ecker. In addition, he is survived by three great-grandsons, four nephews, and one niece.
Ed was a 1952 graduate of Grovertown (Indiana) High School and received his Bachelor of Science degree from Ball State Teachers College (Muncie, Indiana) in 1956. He earned his Master's degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois in 1959 before beginning his 41-year career as an educator at MacMurray College. He subsequently earned his Ph.D. in mathematics from Iowa State University and a Master's in computer science from the University of Illinois. In addition to being a valued member of the MacMurray College faculty and Director of Computer Facilities, Ed also coached the JV Men's basketball team from 1977-1991 and served as the assistant varsity basketball coach. He was inducted into the MacMurray College Hall of Fame in 2008.
Ed was a long-time member of First Presbyterian Church where he served as an Elder and on the Board of Trustees. He served on the Sherwood Eddy Board of Directors from 1976 to 1981 and was involved for many years with the YMCA duplicate bridge club, serving as the club director for many years. Ed was an active member of the Jacksonville Rotary Club, having served as its president in 1978 and honored as a Paul Harris Award Recipient in 1993. Ed also served on the Stewardship and Gifts Committee of the Passavant Area Hospital Foundation, on the Board of Directors of the Jacksonville Center for the Arts, and as a member of the Jacksonville Citizen's Police Academy.
Ed enjoyed playing bridge, golfing, basketball, and tennis, watching many sports, and was an avid Cubs fan.
Funeral services will be held 4:30 p.m. Sunday, June 27, 2021, at First Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville. Private burial will be held at Diamond Grove Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to First Presbyterian Church or the Alzheimer's Association. The Buchanan & Cody Funeral Home in Jacksonville is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be sent online at buchanancody.com.