Marian Isabell Eckmann
November 27, 1933 — June 30, 2024
Marian Isabell Eckmann passed away in Harlan, IA at the age of 90 years.
Marian is survived by her daughter Beverly (Larry) Shriver of Underwood and her son Calvin (Karen Siebels) Eckmann of Persia. She has four grandchildren: Matthew (Karen) Shriver of Boone; Megan (Drew) Angotti of Ankeny; Cameron (Ashlie) Eckmann of Omaha, and Callie Eckmann (fiancé Wyatt Andersen) of Golden, CO. Five great grandchildren: Phinehas, Gideon and Judah Shriver of Boone; Zion Angotti of Ankeny, and Hudson Eckmann of Omaha. She is preceded in death by her parents: Christian Anderson and Agnes Jensen and her brother, Sherman Anderson; sisters: Virginia Byrne and Doris Young.
Marian was born in West Branch, IA, as the youngest (by almost a dozen years) of four children. She spent her childhood on a family farm, and after the death of her father, she moved to Elkhorn with her mother who remarried to Carl Jensen. Marian graduated from Elkhorn High School and then attended Dana College where she was certified in secretarial, business and bookkeeping. After college, she moved to an apartment on Olive Street in Atlantic, IA. She worked at Henningsen Construction where she would meet Earl Eckmann when he picked up his last paycheck before deploying to Korea with the US Army. Earl returned from his tour of duty and married Marian on September 4, 1955. They moved to Persia where they would build their family and Eckmann farms for six decades.
As a young wife, Marian was encouraged by the women of the Persia community to begin teaching piano lessons. She agreed and set up shop in the church parsonage to begin what would be a 60+ year career teaching generations of young people how to play the piano. She had 100s of students from around the area - many that included multi-generational students from the same family. Besides teaching local students, Marian was active with the Iowa Federation of Music. She served as president and coordinated many competitions, organizing competitions around the state, securing competition sites, trophies and certificates, while urging her own students to take part in the competitions. She was so proud when her students excelled and took trophies of their own.
Marian’s faith and service to her church community was very important to her. From leading youth group for many years, to coordinating Ladies Aid and World Day of Prayer, she enjoyed serving her church family. Her biggest and most lasting contribution was as church organist. Nearly every Sunday, Marian would provide the music for St. John’s Sunday service. Her talents and dedication spread to neighboring churches, to include United Lutheran and Presbyterian churches in Shelby, where she served as substitute organist, often finishing a service at one church to play Sunday service at another.
A great cook and baker, one of her favorite things to do was to bring her family together around the table for special holiday celebrations, lunches for chopping crews, or just a chat over a drink and cookie. She loved her house full - whether it was her piano students, her grandkids, or visits from friends from just down the road or across the country.
Following her retirement from teaching, Marian spent her time gardening, growing a large garden filled with potatoes, green beans, carrots and tomatoes. Her flower beds were always well weeded with brightly colored flowers. She kept active by walking around the farm, stopping at the ‘neighbors,’ (her son and daughter-in-law’s home) for a quick chat on the deck or at the kitchen bar. She loved her barn kitties and tried her hardest to keep the dogs away. She was successful in relocating a couple kittens: Felix, and Nellie, who are now spoiled house cats.
She was so loved and lived a full life, sharing her talents and kindness far and wide, making friends wherever she went.
Marian is survived by her daughter Beverly (Larry) Shriver of Underwood and her son Calvin (Karen Siebels) Eckmann of Persia. She has four grandchildren: Matthew (Karen) Shriver of Boone; Megan (Drew) Angotti of Ankeny; Cameron (Ashlie) Eckmann of Omaha, and Callie Eckmann (fiancé Wyatt Andersen) of Golden, CO. Five great grandchildren: Phinehas, Gideon and Judah Shriver of Boone; Zion Angotti of Ankeny, and Hudson Eckmann of Omaha. She is preceded in death by her parents: Christian Anderson and Agnes Jensen and her brother, Sherman Anderson; sisters: Virginia Byrne and Doris Young.
Marian was born in West Branch, IA, as the youngest (by almost a dozen years) of four children. She spent her childhood on a family farm, and after the death of her father, she moved to Elkhorn with her mother who remarried to Carl Jensen. Marian graduated from Elkhorn High School and then attended Dana College where she was certified in secretarial, business and bookkeeping. After college, she moved to an apartment on Olive Street in Atlantic, IA. She worked at Henningsen Construction where she would meet Earl Eckmann when he picked up his last paycheck before deploying to Korea with the US Army. Earl returned from his tour of duty and married Marian on September 4, 1955. They moved to Persia where they would build their family and Eckmann farms for six decades.
As a young wife, Marian was encouraged by the women of the Persia community to begin teaching piano lessons. She agreed and set up shop in the church parsonage to begin what would be a 60+ year career teaching generations of young people how to play the piano. She had 100s of students from around the area - many that included multi-generational students from the same family. Besides teaching local students, Marian was active with the Iowa Federation of Music. She served as president and coordinated many competitions, organizing competitions around the state, securing competition sites, trophies and certificates, while urging her own students to take part in the competitions. She was so proud when her students excelled and took trophies of their own.
Marian’s faith and service to her church community was very important to her. From leading youth group for many years, to coordinating Ladies Aid and World Day of Prayer, she enjoyed serving her church family. Her biggest and most lasting contribution was as church organist. Nearly every Sunday, Marian would provide the music for St. John’s Sunday service. Her talents and dedication spread to neighboring churches, to include United Lutheran and Presbyterian churches in Shelby, where she served as substitute organist, often finishing a service at one church to play Sunday service at another.
A great cook and baker, one of her favorite things to do was to bring her family together around the table for special holiday celebrations, lunches for chopping crews, or just a chat over a drink and cookie. She loved her house full - whether it was her piano students, her grandkids, or visits from friends from just down the road or across the country.
Following her retirement from teaching, Marian spent her time gardening, growing a large garden filled with potatoes, green beans, carrots and tomatoes. Her flower beds were always well weeded with brightly colored flowers. She kept active by walking around the farm, stopping at the ‘neighbors,’ (her son and daughter-in-law’s home) for a quick chat on the deck or at the kitchen bar. She loved her barn kitties and tried her hardest to keep the dogs away. She was successful in relocating a couple kittens: Felix, and Nellie, who are now spoiled house cats.
She was so loved and lived a full life, sharing her talents and kindness far and wide, making friends wherever she went.
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