In memory: Jerry Eckert
Updated August 17, 2015
A celebration of Jerry’s life will be held from 3-5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10 in the Cherokee Ballroom in the Lory Student Center.
Original post (July 2)
Dr. Jerry Eckert, born on March 29, 1939, passed away on May 27.
Jerry Eckert was an emeritus professor at Colorado State University, where he taught and conducted research in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics from 1972-2005. As an academic, he wrote nearly 200 articles and professional papers, two of which won best published article awards.
In addition to his academic pursuits, Jerry worked on many international projects, ultimately living more than 20 years in South Asia and Southern Africa. His work redirected agricultural and labor policies in Pakistan and Lesotho and contributed to food grain self-sufficiency in Pakistan and The Gambia. In South Africa, where he worked at the University of Cape Town, the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the University of Stellenbosch, his research and writing spurred the apartheid government to accelerate change by creating a more inclusive middle class. He developed the framework for an interracial dialogue on rights in South Africa leading, ultimately, to a new bill of rights in 1997. Following the first open elections in South Africa in 1994, Jerry helped to develop an economic growth strategy for the incoming Mandela government.
At CSU, he also served as DARE Faculty Council representative for several years and later as associate director of Society of Senior Scholars, promoting the involvement of retired faculty in the broader CSU community. Following his retirement in 2005, Jerry immersed himself in his twin passions of hiking and nonfiction writing. Jerry’s early nonfiction celebrated the natural world, especially wildlife, in American and Pakistani outdoor magazines. His literary nonfiction has appeared in Pilgrimage, Matter, the Superstition Review, Weber: The Contemporary West, Memoir Journal, Ruminate, and elsewhere. “Mahlapane’s Story,” first published in the Superstition Review, won the Northern Colorado Writers 2011 essay competition. His soon-to-be published memoir entitled “Weeping Kings and Wild Boars: Moments of Magic and Sorrow from Forty Years of Trying to Save the World” recently won the first place award in the Northern Colorado Writers Top of the Mountain Book Award.
Jerry and his wife, Betty, divided their time between Fort Collins and Vail, Arizona, hiking the central Rockies in the summer and the southern Rockies in winter. He is survived by his wife, Betty, their four children, Erin Eckert, Traci Cooley, Scott Eckert, and Todd Doss, seven grandchildren and two sisters. He will be missed enormously. A memorial service to celebrate Jerry’s life will be held at CSU later in September. Memorial donations may be made to the National Park Foundation (http://www.nationalparks.org).
Joe was born June 2, 1922, in Lakewood, Ohio. He attended Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, where he was captain of the swim team. During the summer of 1939 Joe went to Germany as an exchange student. He enlisted in the Army Air Force and received an honorable discharge in 1943. He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1944 at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, where he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Joe was also a member of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society. In 1946 he received a master of science degree from Yale University, from which he earned a PhD in 1954. He did his doctoral field studies in Newfoundland. With J.D. Love and R.K. Hose, J.L. Weitz co-authored the 1954 geologic map of Wyoming.
Joe married Jean Corthell of Laramie, Wyoming, in December, 1949, where the two had met while he was working with the US Geological Survey. He joined his father’s company, Independent Explosives Company in Pennsylvania, as assistant to the president, from 1955 to 1958; then from 1958 to 1960 he taught at his alma mater, Wesleyan University. The family came to the Fort Collins area in 1960 when he took a position as professor of geology at Colorado State University, retiring in 1983.
He spent a year as an associate professor at Hanover College in Indiana in 1961-62. From 1967 to 1969 he served as director of the Earth Science Curriculum Project, which was under the aegis of the National Science Foundation. He was a fellow of the Geological Society of America, a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, and professor of geology one summer at CSU’s Pingree Park campus. He also served a term as president of the southwest section of the National Association of Geology Teachers.
A member of the American Geological Institute, he edited the Journal of Geological Education for a time. He authored several publications for the US Geological Survey. His book, A Definitive Study of Your Future in Geology, which begins with the sentence, “It is likely that the first person on the moon will be a geologist,” was published in 1966.
Joe did significant summer field work for US Geological Survey in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Connecticut, Colorado and Switzerland.
The Weitzes lived in Timnath for a number of years before relocating to a smaller home in Fort Collins. While in Timnath Joe was a member of the volunteer fire department, which participated in fighting the Old Main fire in May, 1970. Jean and Joe have spent the last two years of Joe’s life at The Worthington in Fort Collins.
After retirement, Jean and Joe traveled frequently with the Friendship Force of Northern Colorado, a world-wide foreign exchange program. Joe was also active in the Front Range Forum, an educational program through the Fort Collins Senior Center. He and Jean helped establish the organization more than 20 years ago, and Joe both participated in and facilitated classes. Joe volunteered at the former Fort Collins Museum, arranging and cataloging its mineral collection.
Distilling a long, productive life to a few hundred words barely touches the surface of the man who excelled professionally, lived richly, had a lively sense of humor, and was loved and respected by family and friends. Those who knew him are invited to share their personal memories and stories on this site. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to AmeriCares at 88 Hamilton Ave., Stamford, CT USA 06902 or 1-800-486-HELP (4357) or Info@AmeriCares.org.
A memorial service will be held at 2:30 p.m., Sunday, August 23rd, at the Fort Collins Senior Center, 1200 Raintree Drive, Fort Collins.
He married Charlene June Keller on August 20, 1961, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Fort Collins, where he was a long-time member. He graduated veterinary school in 1963 at Colorado State University and went on to earn his Master of Science in physiology from there.
He devoted his life to the practice of veterinary medicine. His expert, dedicated and loving care of animals came from his heart. He rose to the highest levels of professional recognition and esteem in academic circles, and he especially relished his time in the class and exam rooms. There he shared his gifts as a brilliant diagnostician, teaching his students those critically important techniques and skills. He held professorships at Cornell University, Colorado State University and the University of Utrecht in Utrecht, Holland and conducted research at each of those institutions. Even though he did not seek out recognition it seemed to find him. In his career he presented more than one hundred seminars and papers across the world. He authored and edited numerous journal and textbook publications. He began his career in private practice in Lubbock, Texas, and his career ended after more than thirty years of managing his own practice in Colorado.
He was married to Charlene for fifty-four years. We appreciate and thank him for being so deeply committed to his family and for being a devoted husband and father. He was a loyal and steadfast friend to so many. Throughout his life what he most loved was the time he spent with his family, the time he spent in nature with family and friends.
Those of us who knew and loved him were continually in awe of his ability to overcome extreme obstacles, endure pain and amaze medical professionals with his resilience and strong will to live. We will forever remember his generosity and kindness, his humility and grace.
He is survived by his wife, his children and grandchildren, brothers and sisters, aunts and an uncle, nieces, nephews and cousins, and far too many friends to count.....a very bright light has been added to the heavens.
Our family wishes to express our deep and sincere gratitude to the many incredible people who gave our father exceptional care. The physicians, nurses, and other specialists who helped him and us through this difficult time are amazing to us and we know the sacrifices they made for him, thank you Medical Center of the Rockies!
A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 301 E. Stuart.
Mr. Splittgerber worked as an industrial chemist for the Victor Chemical Works in Chicago Heights, Illinois, from 1940-42, and for the Sinclair Research and Development Company in East Chicago, Indiana, from 1942 to 1948, where he was engaged in laboratory and pilot plant research on synthetic rubber during World War II, and on lubricating oil additives after the war. He married Pearle Damkroger of DeWitt, Nebraska, in 1942. In 1948 the family moved to Fort Collins and that fall George began his 40 year teaching career at Colorado State University.
He spent summers in the early 1960s working with the hydrology branch of the U.S. Geological Survey studying the effects of mono-molecular films in reducing evaporation from water reservoirs. He served as director of eight National Science Foundation Summer Institutes for high school chemistry teachers at Colorado State University, the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, and Loyola University in New Orleans. The Summer Institutes were attended by teachers from across the United States and among other topics, provided information about expectations for high school science background for incoming students planning to attend Colorado State University, the University of Colorado, or the University of Northern Colorado.
He served as chairman of the Committee on Institutes and Conferences of the Division of Chemical Education of the American Chemical Society, and as assistant chairman of the Colorado State University chemistry department for much of the 1970s, He retired from the university in 1988 after 40 years of service, continuing to make daily treks to the CSU library to read, relax and continue his personal research activities. In 2015, the George Splittgerber Scholarship in Chemistry was created by Dr. Glenn Boutilier and his wife Donna to honor George as a longtime professor.
His hobbies included writing, photography, music, and genealogical research. He was a member of various professional and honorary science and mathematics organizations. He was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Fort Collins for more than 66 years, where he served in many capacities, from Sunday school superintendent to chairman of the church council.
As an avid traveler, George visited each of the 50 states at least twice, most of the Canadian provinces, and most countries of western Europe. He was an enthusiastic devotee of the Elderhostel Program, and attended more than 40 such programs across the country. His favorites included those at the Oregon Bach Festivals at the University of Oregon, and the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore, MD.
George Splittgerber was preceded in death by Pearle, his wife of 56 years; a granddaughter, Elizabeth; his parents; brother Ernest, and sister Bernice. He is survived by three sons, Ronald (and Vicky), Richard (and Meredith), and Gary, all of Fort Collins; by five grandchildren, Wendy (and Jeremy Eades), Heidi (and Victor Zuniga), Holly (and Nate Tuck), Johnathan (and Missy Splittgerber), and Emily Splittgerber, all of Fort Collins; and eight great grandchildren.
A celebration of life service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday July 25, Trinity Lutheran Church, 301 East Stuart Street in Fort Collins. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family requests that contributions be made to the George Splittgerber Scholarship at Colorado State University. 
He was a scientist and teacher, world traveler, skier, family historian, and gardener extraordinaire. He was also a wonderful husband, loving father, and adoring grandfather.
Jim studied at North Dakota State University for undergraduate work and Purdue for post-graduate work, obtaining an M.S. and Ph.D. in plant breeding and genetics. He had a long and impressive career, working at North Dakota State University, Colorado State University, also Hyderabad in India, Cambridge in the United Kingdom, the Toowoomba Wheat Research Institute in Brisbane, Australia, and CIMMYT in Mexico.
In 1993 he met his current wife, Jaculynn Panuska. They were married in Fort Collins on June 13, 1994, and recently celebrated their 21st anniversary.
He was preceded in death by his parents, James in 1968 and Anna in 2012, and brothers Richard R. Quick in 1999 and John R. Quick in 2001.
He is survived by his wife, Jackie Panuska; three daughters, Alissa J. Quick of Bloomington, IN; Katie A. Quick May (Daniel Fairbank) of Fort Collins; Jeanette S. Quick Sandlin (Mark) of Greensboro, NC; and their mother, Rosemary Davenport (Chris Reid) of Fort Collins; also step-children, Robin Horak of Boston, MA, and Jason Horak (Alice Kunce) of Little Rock, AR; grandchildren, Cassandra and Nathan May, and step-grandchildren, Kayli and Hunter Sandlin, Lyrian Ruesch and Raymond Horak. He is also survived by siblings, Bobby Ann (Wayne) Paintner of Sundance, WY; Joan (Dennis) Bangen of Casper, WY; Mary Ellen (Jim) Spenningsby of Duluth, MN; and Marcia (Mike) Zimmerman of Garrison, ND; and sister-in-law, Joan Quick of Fargo, ND.
Memorial celebrations are planned for later this summer, details to be determined.
The family moved to Plymouth, Michigan, when he was 4 years old. He attended a one-room school house from kindergarten through fifth grade, when the school district was consolidated. He graduated from Plymouth High School in l952, from Michigan State University with a B.S. degree in l956, and with an M.S. degree in l957. His Michigan State education was largely paid for by 4-H scholarships earned for livestock judging. He belonged to the agriculture fraternity, Alpha Gamma Rho.
He received his PhD in animal breeding and genetics from Iowa State University in l960. His first job was in Denver, with the USDA ARS from l960 through l967, where he was investigations leader for beef cattle breeding research for the land grant colleges in the 12 western states.
He joined the animal sciences faculty at CSU in l967 and continued there until his retirement as professor in l992. He was major adviser for 76 masters and PhD degrees, and made important contributions to the beef cattle industry. He received many awards including the J.R. Prentice Memorial Award in Animal Breeding and Genetics from the American Society of Animal Science, the Jack E. Cermak Advising Award, and the Oliver P. Pennock Distinguished Service Award. He was author or co-author of more than 200 publications about beef cattle genetics and was often invited to speak at beef cattle meetings throughout the United States, Australia, Spain, Brazil, and Argentina. His work and writings are well respected by academics and industry professionals alike.
He served for many years on the Larimer County planning commission, and on the board of directors of the Pleasant Valley and Lake Canal, and of the Larimer County Farm Bureau.
In l955 Jim married Sharon Lee Muir in Saline, Michigan. After giving birth to a son and adopting a daughter, she died of leukemia in l968. He married Rose Stehno Dean in l969 in the newly built Blessed John XXIII campus church. They lived on Sheely Drive in Fort Collins until moving for a one-year sabbatical in Maryland, and then permanently to their Laporte farm.
During this period he built a cabin on Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs which the family enjoyed for 30 years.
Jim is survived by his wife, Rose, his sons Kevin (Kati) Brinks of Centennial, Dr. Alan (Kathleen) Dean of Fort Collins, Rex Dean of Waltham, MA, Dr. Andrew Dean (Dr. Marta) of LaPorte, twins John Brinks of Fort Worth, Texas; and Jim Brinks of LaPorte; his daughters, Karen Wetzbarger of Loveland, Dr. Laura Pritchett (Dr. James) of Bellvue, and Mary Dean of Fort Collins; his siblings Donald Brinks of Pagosa Springs, Dave Brinks of Flint, Michigan., and Susan Shade of Fort Collins; 18 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.
Jim was also preceded in death by his parents and his brother Kenneth Brinks.
Until triple bypass surgery in 2003, Jim loved smoking his corncob pipe, bowling, hunting, fishing, golf , skiing, playing poker, traveling and raising cattle. In the 1980s and 1990s, he developed a composite breed cow herd, which graced his historic farm along the Poudre River in Laporte. He was unquestionably a workaholic and both he and his family learned to build fence, ditch irrigate, buck hay, brand cattle, pull calves, garden and can, and all the rest that goes with farm life.
In 1993 the Provost and Claymore (aka Lessert) descendants of the original owners of his farm had a reunion in Laporte and took Jim into the Lakota Oglala Sioux tribe with the name: Down to Earth Man. Jim will be laid to rest in Grandview next to the grave of John Provost, the first owner of the farm.
The last 12 years of his life were clouded with Alzheimers, which he faced with reality and grace. He never lost his innate kindness or his gentleman’s dignity nor his desire every day to get up and go someplace.
A funeral mass concelebrated by the Reverends Steven Voss and Greg Ames will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, June 15 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Fort Collins. Interment will follow at Grandview Cemetery. A reception will be held in Meredith Hall following the Interment.
Friends may send condolences to the family at bohlenderfuneralchapel.com. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Abbey of St. Walburga, to St. Joseph’s parish, or to a charity of choice.
Robert Paul Allerheiligen, 70, of Ft. Collins, passed away peacefully at Poudre Valley Hospital on May 19.
Rob was born in Denver, Co. on Dec. 23, 1944, to the late Helen and Paul Allerheiligen. He grew up in Cheyenne until returning to Lakewood for high school. While attending college at CSU he participated in ROTC, managed and was a radio announcer at KCSU-FM and KCOL, and graduated with a bachelor's in speech arts in 1967.
After USMC Basic School in Quantico, VA, Rob was a Defense Control Officer in Cherry Point, NC. He was stationed in Okinawa with a short tour in Vietnam 1968-1969 and retired as Captain.
After completing his military service he obtained a Masters in business administration in 1974 and taught Business at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley until 1976. He then he returned to CSU as director of International Programs. In 1979 the family moved to California where he completed his doctorate in International Marketing at the University of Southern California in 1986. He returned to CSU where he joined the faculty in the Marketing Department and taught until his retirement in 2006. He served as chair of the Asian studies board, and on the ROTC advisory board and was a commencement announcer at CSU graduation ceremonies from 1988-2007.
A well-respected and admired professor, Rob touched the lives of thousands of students. He was an instructor in video telecast courses for the distant MBA, connecting students across the globe to CSU's business programs. Over many summers Rob took students on education abroad study experiences in Europe as well as a semester long program to Brisbane, Australia, in 1989. He taught business courses at institutions in France and Germany, and was a visiting professor at Foreign Trade University in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Within the Fort Collins community, Rob was an member of Sertoma Club service organization since 1970; served several years on the Fort Collins Library Board, and was a member of the Executive Committee and Vice President of Board of Directors for Veterans Plaza of Northern Colorado since 2010.
Rob was a beloved father and grandfather. One of his greatest joys was watching his grandchildren play hockey and baseball, attending birthday parties, and going camping. He leaves behind his two children, Laura (Scott) Bargar, and Brad (Tennille) Allerheiligen; six grandchildren, Amy, Taylor, Blake, Cade (Bargar), Max and Brooke (Allerheiligen), former spouse and mother of his children, Sandra J. Lee, former spouse, Judy McClure, and former companion of many years and forever friend, Kelly Long. His family would like to express gratitude and thanks to his friends who helped during the last stages of his illness.
During his life, Rob traveled widely in the international arena with students, friends, and colleagues. He made a positive impact that will continue on. A memorial service will be held on June 27th at the Veteran's Plaza at Spring Canyon Park. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Veterans Plaza P.O. Box Q, Fort Collins, Co 80525.
He married Barbara Kay Bunnell Hill on February 1, 1976, during Sunday morning mass at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Ft. Collins. She preceded him in death July 13, 1998. He went to work for Colorado State University and eventually retired as head groundskeeper on the West Campus. During his time there, he designed many of the campus's natural landscaped plantings. After his official retirement, he stayed on as a consultant until he moved from Fort Collins to be closer to his daughter in Apache, OK.
Chuck enjoyed gardening and fishing. He was a serious genealogist and took great pleasure in visiting with family and discovering new connections. He was a big supporter of the arts, and loved going to concerts, plays and even singing in the church choir. After moving to Apache, he enjoyed going to his grandson's games and got involved with the Apache Genealogical Society. He was very proud of his family and loved everyone who called him Grampa Chuck.
He is survived by one son, Charles Baker of Colorado Springs; one daughter, Allison and husband, Rob Crews of Apache, OK; twos step-sons, John and wife, Mary Hill of Ft. Collins, and Matthew Hill of Ola, AR; six grandchildren, Stephen and wife, Hannah Hill, Catie and husband Patrick Kehoe, Barbara Ann Hill, Sean Crews, Jason Crews, Carolyn and husband Aatish Salvi; three great-grandchildren, Asher Danforth, Athen Danforth, Mohini Salvi; one sister, Kathryn Robson of Lincoln, NE; three beloved nieces and their spouses and families; many former family members whom he cared for greatly.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Barbara Baker; one brother-in-law, John 'Jack' Robson; one grandson, Kenny Knox.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 29 at the Crews Funeral Home Chapel in Oklahoma, with Roy Young officiating. Burial will be held at a later date in Pender, NE.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Apache Public Library or the Apache Nutrition Center.