Obituary of Margaret B. Eckrich

Margaret Bridget Ryan Eckrich, age 92, formerly of 310 N Lucas Street, died Wednesday February 18, 2004, at Solon Care Center following a long illness. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, February 21, 2003, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Iowa City with the Reverend Michael Phillips officiating. Burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery in Iowa City. Visitation will be from 3-7 pm on Friday with a parish rosary recited at 7 pm. at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Friends of St. Bridget’s. Online condolcences may be sent for Margaret’s family through our website @www.gayandciha.com. Margaret was the daughter of Irish immigrants Michael and Ellen Maher Ryan. Born June 28, 1911 in rural Johnson County near Nolan Settlement, “Mid” and her brothers Michael and John were raised on the family farm near St Bridget’s Church, the current building which her father helped build. Mid graduated from Solon Schools and helped on the family farm until her marriage to John George Eckrich of Cosgrove. They met while he farmed in the area and they married at St Bridget’s on February 24, 1941. Together they owned and farmed 240 acres on the Cedar-Johnson County line, where they produced both crops and livestock, and raised their three children. Mid helped with many wedding showers, and her filled buns were famous: you might have been the lucky recipient of a box or 2 on your graduation. John and Margaret sold their farm in 1973 and moved to Iowa City. They were active members of St Wenceslaus Church where Mid was a member of the Altar and Rosary Society. Mid sold many a raffle ticket for the church bazaars. In retirement, John and Mid enjoyed playing euchre, socializing with family and friends, and helping with their grandchildren who also lived in Iowa City. After John moved to Pleasantview Home, Mid enjoyed working on Election Days and sitting on her front porch where she offered everyone passing a friendly smile and a kind wave. Failing health forced her to move to Solon Care Center in March of 1999. Margaret never fulfilled her dream of traveling to Ireland, but saw the Emerald Isle through the eyes of her sons and others who shared their travel. Surely her path to Heaven will take her through the green meadows. Her family includes her son, Michael of Bellevue; daughter, Irene Royston of Iowa City; son, John “Beav” and wife Dawn of Iowa City; grandson Clint and wife Christy Royston of Des Moines; granddaughters Wendy Royston of Riverside and Amy Eckrich of Iowa City, and great-grandchildren Christian and Jackie Royston of Des Moines along with her sister-in-law Marguerite Eckrich of Cosgrove; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Her parents, her husband and her brothers preceded Margaret in death.