Jaculin "Jacke" U (Johnson) Eckel

Clearwater-  Jacke (Johnson) Eckel, age 75, former director of Clearwater Recreation Commission and Clearwater Historical Museum, passed away Saturday, July 13, 2019.

Friends may sign the book Tuesday, July 16, 2019, 9am-3pm, Webb-Shinkle Mortuary, Clearwater. Graveside Services, 2 pm,  Wednesday, July 17, 2019, at Goodel Cemetery, Drury, KS.

A casual Celebration of Life, Wednesday, July 17th @ 6 pm. at the Red Roof Inn on West Kellogg & Dugan. Potluck - CASH BAR. In true Jacke-form, she planned her last event with many details, asking for a casual party for friends and family to come together to eat, drink, and be merry!  Bring photos and memories to share.

The family would like to thank all of the medical teams and Good Shepherd Hospice, plus friends and family who offered their support and love as Jacke struggled through pancreatic cancer and various complications these past 6 months. 

Jacke was born on Wednesday, October 6, 1943 in Wichita, Kansas to Lenora Verna (Unruh) and Clarence Ray Johnson. She graduated from East High in 1961 and then Wichita Business College in 1962. She worked at Western Control and Hartford Insurance. Jacke married William Albert "Buster" Eckel on May 25, 1962. They built their home north of Clearwater and have lived there since February 14, 1965. They had a loving daughter, Susan Jae Eckel, on September 1, 1967, and she has remained their favorite ever since. Jacke was a Girl Scout and a Girl Scout Leader for over 30 years. She was a Rainbow Girl and a member of Clearwater Eastern Star. She spent 12 years as the Director of the Clearwater Historical Museum. Using her amazing attention to detail, she designed the interior of the museum to be a recreation of an 1890's house and was able to acquire many historic items to furnish the house, as well as to recreate a blacksmith shop and general store with 16 galleries inside the museum.

During her tenure, she worked with the local Girl Scouts to both educate the girls about the history of the area as well as oversee their volunteer work at the museum. She was on the 135th Chisholm Trail Committee in 1997, which planned the State celebration and placed the markers along the Chisholm Trail, which are still in place today. Another of her local responsibilities was to be the first Clearwater Recreation Director for 20 years, creating Easter Egg Hunts and Summer Recreation programs as well as designing hundreds of classes that provided area residents with a wide variety of educational and hobby topics. Jacke was a creative seamstress, bringing life to the Easter Bunny, Frosty, Eggbert, OZ costumes, and Mrs. Claus, for her favorite daughter, Susan. After retiring from these civic projects, Jacke became an avid baker. Her wide variety of sweets were enjoyed by everyone she came in contact with, whether they were the ACHS Softball Team, a clerk at Walmart, a nurse, or her husband's coffee club. Her other hobby was genealogy, allowing her to create elaborate family trees for family members and friends.

Preceded by parents, Clarence and Lenora (Unruh) Johnson; mother-in-law, Mildred (Boatright) Eckel. Survivors: husband,  William “Buster” Eckel; daughter, Susan (Rita Frakes) Eckel of Wichita; sister, Sheryl (Gerry) Hudson of Rockport, TX; brother, Steve (Jacqueline Levings) of Wichita; nieces, Emma Campbell, Elizabeth Jones; nephews, Will Hudson and Eric Johnson; Jacke’s joy for the past 7 1/2 years, her Connor Dean Lovebug Shurtleff.

Memorials: Good Shepherd Hospice, 7829 Rockhill St. #403, Wichita, Kansas 67206  or The Kyrie Foundation, 10317 Century Ln, Overland Park, KS 66215.

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