Oct. 3, 1926 – March 21, 2011
Frank Robert Eckles, 84, of Foster, died March 21, 2011, at Lebanon Rehab.
He was born Oct. 3, 1926 in Whittier, Calif., the son of Carleton H. and Mabel L. (Dix) Eckles.
Mr. Eckles served in the Philippines and Japan during World War II, before returning to California, where he married his high school sweetheart, Joyce Elene Lane, to whom he was married for 54 years. He worked in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for 16 years before moving his family to Corvallis.
He owned and operated the Riverview Marina for 32 years and also served 20 years in the Sheriff’s reserves, doing search and rescue on the Willamette River.
He later moved to Foster to set up an outboard motor salvage business. There he met and married Louise Poitras in August of 2004.
Mr. Eckles will be remembered for his many acts of kindness to those in need. He loved feeding the wildlife at his home and sharing his homemade fudge.
He is survived by his widow, Louise; four children, Linda Merten, Judy Eckles-Jones, Patti Anderson and Dan Eckles; two sisters, Betty Hanshew and Edith Beswick; 11 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.
Mr. Eckles was preceded in death by his first wife, two brothers and three sisters.
Viewing will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 25, at the Huston-Jost Funeral Home in Lebanon. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 26, at the Sweet Home Evangelical Church, 1347 Long St., followed by interrment at Lewis Cemetery.