Rose Mary Eckard

Rose Mary Eckard, age 89, passed away on Tuesday September 13, 2016 at her home. Funeral Service and Mass will be at 3:00 pm on Friday, September 16, 2016 at Holy Family Catholic Church, 5410 Buffalo Gap Road in Abilene. Burial will follow in Elliott-Hamil Garden of Memories Cemetery, 5701 Hwy 277 South. On Thursday, September 15, 2016 visitation will be held at the funeral home from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm, followed by a prayer service from 7:00 pm to 7:15 pm and a rosary at 7:30 pm.

Rose Mary was born February 2, 1927 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the daughter of the late John and Anna Schuler. Rose Mary grew up in Cincinnati and graduated from Woodward High School. She spent much of her youth with her 4 siblings on the family farm. Rose Mary came from a very close, religious and Christian home with loving parents. Her parents instilled in her the value of a strong close family, hard work, high moral values and love of country. As a young adult, she had the opportunity to travel different parts of the country and eventually landed a job at JC Penney Company in downtown Cincinnati. It was after the war and at JC Penney where she caught the eye of her future husband “Bob”. They soon fell in love and were married on May 24, 1952.

Shortly after the honeymoon, JC Penney transferred Bob to Houston, Texas, where the two of them started their family. Rose Mary was always proud of her Ohio roots and even prouder of her newly adopted home called Texas. Eventually, she and Bob wound up in Abilene, Texas, where they would both spend the remainder of their lives. Rose Mary loved her church, her family and her friends. She loved spending time in prayer, reading religious articles and watching nature programs on TV. She also loved spending time with family doing simple things, especially if it involved outdoors and nature. Rose Mary always had a pleasant smile, good sense of humor and calmness about her. Rose Mary leaves an indescribable hole in our hearts that can never be measured and never be filled. Only our faith in Christ will carry us though this immeasurable loss.

She was a past president of the Catholic Woman’s Organization and current member of the Abilene Founder Lions Club and Holy Family Catholic Church. She also maintained her position as Secretary/Treasurer of Supreme Energy Company.

Her husband Bob, her parents, one sister, Margie Boertlein, and two brothers, John and Joseph Schuler preceded Rose Mary in death. She is survived by one sister, Ann Newport of Cincinnati; her four children, Julie Tosh and husband Jack of Bedford, Jeannine Crawford and husband Jay of Mebane, NC, Shara Eckard of Abilene and Jeff Eckard of Abilene; two grandchildren, Claire and husband Dr. Erick Singh of Lexington, SC and Kellye Crawford of Charleston, SC; and two great- grandchildren, Eli and Avery Singh.

Memorials may be made to your favorite Christian organization or the Abilene Founders Lions Club. We would also like to give a special thanks to Hendrick Hospice and Visiting Angels. The online guest book can be signed at www.elliott-hamil.com