Eckrich, Keith Martin
"I asked you a month ago to write your own obit and now I’m stuck doing it…" Love, Helene Keith Martin Eckrich, 77, loving husband, father, and "BaPa" died peacefully in his Albuquerque home, wearing his favorite plaid BaPa shirt, with his beloved classical music playing in the background, on Saturday, February 11, 2017. He was born in St. Louis, MO on October 30, 1939 and was a graduate of Quincy University in Quincy, IL. He worked at Hales High School in Chicago, IL for six years, then at Illinois Bell for 11 years. In 1980, his life experiences brought him to New Mexico where he worked at Atkinson & Kelsey Law Firm as a paralegal for 20 years. In 1984, he met his beloved Helene through the "Single Scene Magazine" and in 1986, they married. She told him repeatedly… "The luckiest day of your life was the day you married a nurse!!!" Keith realized this truth in October 2005 when Helene successfully performed CPR and resuscitated Keith during his heart attack at the Jackson’s home in Illinois.
Keith will be deeply missed by his wife, Helene; daughter, Heather Jackson and her husband, Ryan, granddaughter, Kylie and grandson, Colin of Mahomet, IL; son, Jason Metzger and his wife, Becky, granddaughters, Leah and Ally, and grandson, Adam of Joshua, TX; daughter, Kristen Eckrich and granddogs, Guinness and Nanuk of Albuquerque; rescued dog-daughter, Princess Ginger Marie; and numerous family and friends.
Before his illness, Keith enjoyed wonderful travels to Cabo San Lucas, many National Parks, such as Yosemite and Yellowstone, as well as cruises to Alaska, Caribbean, and the Mexican Riviera. Over the years, he donated over seven gallons of his O+ blood to the local blood bank. He loved classical and opera music, and spent many wonderful evenings with friends at the Santa Fe Opera. He sang baritone for 11 years in the NM Symphony Chorus (19942005). He also revived his childhood hobby of stamp collecting. A talented artist, he chose pastels in order to join his daughter Kristen in art lessons, and together they excelled in this media, winning ribbons at the NM State Fair. Keith was known as the "Cookie Monster" after his famous "Keith’s Kookies" he made for many volunteer dinners at the Ronald McDonald House. When medical issues slowed him down, he embraced his passions for crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku, on-line chess, and proof-reading older manuscripts through the Guttenberg Project.
A Memorial Service will be held Friday, February 17, 2017, 10:30 a.m., at FRENCH – Wyoming. Attendees are asked to wear an article of plaid clothing or plaid accessory to honor Keith’s renowned plaid shirt fashion, officially named "a BaPa shirt" by his first granddaughter, Kylie. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Ronald McDonald House, 1011 Yale Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106 or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Pl., Memphis, TN 38105. Please visit our online guestbook for Keith at www.FrenchFunerals.com FRENCH - Wyoming 7121 Wyoming Blvd. NE 505.823.9400 www.frenchfunerals.com