Merlin H. Eichstadt

Merlin H. Eichstadt, resident of Shakopee, Minnesota, passed away at Friendship Manor Nursing Home in Shakopee, MN, on Monday, December 8, 2025. He was 89 years old.
Merlin was born on the family farm in Sanborn, Minnesota, on March 19, 1936, the son of Elmer and Esther (Winkelman) Eichstadt. Due to a typical mid-March snowstorm in Minnesota, the doctor was unable to arrive in time, so his father delivered him.
Merlin was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Sanborn, MN. He attended public schools in Sanborn and graduated from Sanborn High School in 1954. He then went to the University of Minnesota, where he was a member of the Farmhouse and Alpha Zeta fraternities. He graduated in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture.
On August 15, 1959, Merlin married Estrid Baldwin, daughter of Archie and Anna (Enstrom) Baldwin, at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in McGregor, MN. They had five children: Marcella "Marcy," Marliss "Marli," Bernett "Bernie," Bradley "Brad," and Blaine. They initially made their home in Redwood Falls, MN, where Marcy and Marli were born. In 1961, as part of National Guard Unit 113, Merlin was activated during the Berlin Crisis. As a result, his family moved to Tacoma, WA, to the Fort Lewis military base, where Bernie was born. After his honorable discharge in 1962, they moved first to Allentown, PA, where Brad was born; then to Eureka, IL, in 1966, where Blaine was born; and finally to Lamberton, MN, in 1974.
Merlin was always a 'Corn Man.' He started with Dekalb Seed Company after college and worked with the firm for more than 25 years as an agronomist, earning many prestigious awards. He also worked for Betagold in Shakopee, MN; was a travel agent at LTC Travel Service in Chaska, MN; and, for the last 25 years, was a Senior Agronomist and "Jack of All Trades" for Terning Seeds in Cokato, MN.
On July 25, 1992, he was united in marriage to Suzanne "Sue" Hohenstein of Shakopee, MN, at the Presbyterian Church in Shakopee. Sue had three children: Tim, Michael, and Shelley. Merlin and Sue spent three years in Marion, IL, before moving back to Shakopee, where they lived for the past 30 years.
Merlin loved to travel and had the opportunity to visit Poland, Germany, Brazil, Norway, Nova Scotia, Granada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and England. In his early years, he and his family traveled extensively within the continental United States in the family Winnebago and also made trips to Alaska and Hawaii- the latter after winning a family trip as one of the top sales leaders in Dekalb in 1974.
Merlin had an infectious personality and a big smile that followed him wherever he went. He loved to talk and loved people. He cherished his 20 years spent in Arizona, summers at the cabin on Lake Minne Belle, dancing and listening to Old Time Music, working at Terning Seeds (retiring at the age of 83), their little calico cat, Mazie, watching the Vikings, and his faithful old Astro van. But most of all, he loved his family-both his own children and grandchildren, and his second family, too. Each and every one of them was very special to him.
Merlin is survived by his loving wife, Sue, and his children: Marcy Williams, Marli (Ken) Haycock, Bernie Eichstadt (Julie Voight), Brad (Kim) Eichstadt, and Blaine (Ranae) Eichstadt. He is also survived by Sue's children: Tim (Lori) Hohenstein and Shelley (Eric) Gagne. His grandchildren include: Brandi, MacKenzie, Alyssa (Marcy), Nathan, Ryan (Marli), Nicholas (Bernie), Alex, Ben (Brad), Erik, Jakob (Blaine), Kassie, TJ (Tim), Maddy, Regan, Joe (Shelley), and Jack (Michael). Merlin is further survived by his brother, Arvin (Shirley) Eichstadt, and Sue's brother, Jerry Kozitza.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Dianne Ebeling; his brother, Melvin Eichstadt; his first wife, Estrid; his grandson, Zachary Eichstadt; and his stepson, Michael Hohenstein.
A Celebration of Life gathering will be held on Saturday, December 20, 2025, hosted at Dangerfield's, 1585 1st Ave. E., Shakopee, MN, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, with a remembrance service at 2:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, based at Merlin's alma mater, the University of Minnesota.