George L Van Ecken

It is with great sadness that the family of George Van Ecken announce his passing at the age of 89 years on Wednesday, September 13, 2023. He died peacefully at home in Austin, Texas surrounded by family.

George was born in Brownsville, Texas to George Van Ecken and Adele Yaeger. George was an only child and developed close relationships with his mother Adele and George’s adoptive father Herbert (Scotty) Scott, Uncles John and James, his maternal grandmother (Mama) Bess Robinson, and great grandmother (Nanny) Ida Pebbley. He enjoyed gardening with Nanny in their Victory garden. He also enjoyed fishing with his uncles, visiting Padre Island and Boca Chica, and going to Matamoras with his friends.

He graduated from Brownsville High School and then he enlisted in the United States Air Force. He was stationed overseas in Korea and Japan and enjoyed sharing stories about his experiences while in the service. Upon his return to Brownsville, George went to work for the Sabine Towing Company and made trips from Port Arthur, Texas to Florida making stops all along the gulf coast. He would often share colorful stories of his youthful days on the tugboats and we would all get a good laugh. He was charismatic and peppered his stories with Texan colloquialisms. George made friends easily and had a large extended family that he enjoyed spending time with. He enjoyed dancing, family gatherings, family vacations, and traveling throughout the United States and Internationally. Upon his retirement from a long career working as a dedicated civil servant for the City of Austin he devoted his time to the catholic church and was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He visited his half-sister Collette and her husband Manu and his many nieces and nephews in France. He also spent every summer with his grandchildren in the Pacific Northwest. He loved road trips and roadside picnics, sightseeing, and taking pictures on many shared adventures through Europe, the United States, Mexico, and Canada. George will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 65 years, Imelda, his son Eric Van Ecken, daughter Angela Van Ecken and son in-law Lance Chess, and grandchildren Mira and Conrad Chess, sister in-law Ada Duarte, and brother in-law Philip Trevino, and his many nieces and nephews, and many other extended family and friends

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.wcfishsouth.com for the Van Ecken family.