July 31, 1929 - June 9, 2025
The funeral for Lindy Eck, 95 year-old Enid resident is 1:00PM Friday, June 13, 2025 in the Henninger-Hinson Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Kenneth Wade will officiate. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery.
Wednesday, July 31, 1929, was my birthday. I was the 13th and last child of Henry and Eva Eck. A favorite memory was, every summer - usually in August - our family would use a seine about 100 feet wide in the pond on our family farm. Many of my brothers and sisters would come with their families and enjoy the "catch of the day"! The fish would be fried in a large cooker that Dad made from an old barrel. The catfish and bass were fried outside near the wash house. Mom would make her special tartar sauce and Dad would provide some of his homemade wine.
I attended Ringwood High School and graduated in 1947. Several friendships were forged during these years in high school. A group of us would enjoy skating and other activities together. Clayton Koehn was a close friend whose girlfriend was Evelyn Jantzen. Evelyn's good friend was Effe Ruth Haley. Wherever Effie was, Evelyn was right beside her. Effie and I began to date... our first date was to the Garfield County Fair in Enid. We rode the rides, looked at exhibits and ate hamburgers and malts at a diner. We soon fell in love! Many times, we double dated with Clayton and Evelyn.
Our wedding was Sunday, July 30, 1950. Effie was one year younger than me. Dad had to sign permission for me to get married, since I would not be 21 until the day after our wedding, July 31! Our ceremony was in the New Hopedale Parsonage in Meno. Pastor Arnold Epp was the minister. Our wedding was small with our best friends, Clayton and Evelyn Koehn standing beside us. Tina Epp, the minister's wife, my parents, Henry and Clarabelle with their children, Jimmy and Kay were guests. We enjoyed a weeklong honeymoon in Colorado Springs, driving my blue '41 Chevy, 2 door coupe.
We returned home and stayed with my parents about 3 days. Before our wedding, Effie and I had rented a farmhouse with 4 bedrooms, ¾ mile south and ½ mile east of Folk's home place. My new bride and I went to Enid to shop for household necessities to begin our married life together. We purchased a table and chairs, bedroom furniture and a radio at Crescent Furniture store. Our gas stove and ice box for the kitchen were bought at the Firestone Appliance store. I had saved up enough money to begin our marriage free of debt. Effie and I drove back to our first home and found a surprise. Crescent Furniture had all our furnishings delivered and placed on our front porch. We never could figure out how they beat us back to Meno.
We lived on that place and farmed with my parents for 4 years. We had a herd of Holstein and Jersey dairy cattle that kept us busy with milking twice a day. Effie and I made a decision to move to Enid and found a house at 1621 East Cedar. We would drive to the New Hopedale Church in Meno for services every Sunday for 15 years. We then begin to worship at the Nazarene Church in Enid and enjoyed the fellowship there with Robert and Alice's family.
I went to work at the elevators in Enid as a grain inspector for wheat, oats and barley. My nephews, Robert and Leo Becker were also employed there. After 4 years as an inspector, I began working at the George Failing Machine Company, also in Enid. I produced parts on their equipment, including an engine lathe on the Bullard equipment. This job met our family's needs for 9 years. A position at the Farmer's Coop in Bison became available. I managed the grain coming in and processing out of the elevators. It was a 14 mile drive back and forth from Enid twice a day. One night, all night long, our crew loaded box cars filled up with grain to make room for fresh grain coming in from the fields. This job became a challenge to my health, due to an allergy to the dust. I quit this job on a Friday. The next day, on Saturday morning, I went to the R.C. Parish Machine Shop in Enid. Up a flight of stairs, in his office, I spoke to R.C. Parish, and asked for a job in his company. After a short interview, he told me to show up on Monday morning! I learned to run several different machines: turret lathe, engine lathe, Bullard, milling machine and a double headed turret lathe. This company became Central Machine Shop in 1986, located at 1414 East Willow here in Enid. I retired from this career in 1996. My son, Kevin, and I own Precision Machine at 980 North Adams. We do sub-contract work for Central Machine. I still assist Kevin with metal lathe production at our shop.
While I worked full-time at my jobs, my nephew, Robert Becker and I decided to build homes together to supplement our household incomes. Over the course of 10 years, we built 10-12 houses. Although these homes were spec. homes, we always had a buyer when they were completed. Robert and I enjoyed working together. It was a good partnership.
For several years our family lived in the community of Fairmont, Oklahoma. We liked the country living atmosphere there and enjoyed worshipping at the Zion Lutheran Church. Eventually, we did move back to Enid and made St. Paul's Lutheran Church our church home.
Effie was a wonderful wife and mother. She was soft-spoken, agreeable and easy to live with. Her dark hair was beautiful and luxurious. We loved our children. Linda, Brenda who lives with me, and Kevin and his wife Sonja. Our family celebrations at Thanksgiving and Christmas were filled with good food and great conversations. Effie made a delicious fresh cranberry salad. I never liked cranberries until Effie made this salad. Our main meal of the day was in the evening. We remember Effe's delicious baked beans, roast, biscuits, bread and HUGE cinnamon rolls with powered sugar icing. In the spring, we would plant a large garden with watermelons. Effie served the new potatoes with a white sauce that made us smile! Even in lean years, there was enough food to eat.
Our family trips were fun, with Branson a favorite destination. We like museums, and a highlight was the Eisenhower home and museum in Abilene, Kansas. We took day trips to Great Salt Plains Lake and Canton Lake, sometimes fishing at these lakes. Our daughter, Linda, was in the Air Force, serving as a Staff Sergeant. We made trips to visit her in Colorado, Springs, Shreveport, Louisiana and Macon, Georgia. My lovely wife Effie, passed in 2016. We celebrated 65 years of marriage. I will be laid to rest beside her in Enid Memorial Park Cemetery.
Lindy was a hardworking, quiet man of faith, and an overwhelming provider for his family.
Lindy is proceeded in death by his wife Effie, of 65 years, his sisters and brothers, and daughter Linda, and grandson Nathan.
Lindy is survived by his daughter Breda, of Enid, son Kevin and wife Sonja of Enid, grandson Eric and wife Latrina of Tulsa. He has many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who will miss him.
