Letia Mae Eckert

Letia was born Jan 25, 1936 in Arkansas and relocated to Houston in early childhood. She graduated from Jefferson Davis High School. After high school she worked as an administrative assistant. She met her future groom, Lawrence Eckert, at North Houston Baptist Church in their church youth group. After a courtship which including exchanging letters over a few years while Lawrence attended UT in Austin, they married in 1958. The newlyweds resided in Austin, Texas while Lawrence finished his engineering degree, and then they returned to Houston. Letia and Lawrence lived in Houston for the rest of their lives, married for sixty-three years before he passed away in 2021.

Letia had many special gifts and qualities – centering on her ability to make anyone and everyone around her feel appreciated and loved. She modeled what it looks like to approach the world with generosity of spirit, and freely shared not just her caring but also her time and resources. Her laugh was infectious, and her natural curiosity meant she never met a stranger. Letia seemed especially gifted in relating to youth. During the years she and Lawrence worked with the youth group at their church they developed relationships with youth group members that have persisted for decades. She also had a passion for garage sales- which she viewed as great occasion to create inventory for her own future garage sales, get to know her neighbors, and “meet such interesting people”! She was a passionate bridge player for many years, and loved her neighborhood bunko group.

Letia delighted in being with others. Her welcoming spirit made her home a magnet for gatherings with friends and family alike. A woman of many passions, including crafts and painting, she especially focused on “those precious grandchildren” for whom she created so many life-long memories and also modeled how to treat others with respect. Whether it be gathering around her dining room table, feeding the cows at the ranch, floating the Guadalupe, or traveling to Costa Rica, the legacy of Letia’s caring, laugh, and love endures.

Letia is preceded in death by her husband Lawrence and her sister Opal. She is survived by her sister Doris Forse, her children Buckley, Lance, and Kimberly, and her grandchildren Chase, Dustin, Victoria, Harry, Conor and Shane, and her great grandchildren Oliver, Thea, lan, Harper, Hannah Mae, Savannah, and Kiera.

A visitation for Letia will be held Friday June 13, 2025 from 6:00 – 9:00 pm at Brookside Funeral Home, 13747 Eastex Freeway, Houston, TX 77039. A funeral service will occur Saturday, June 14, 2025 from 10:30 to 11:30 am, 13747 Eastex Freeway, Houston, TX 77039. A graveside service will occur Saturday, June 14, 2025 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm, 13747 Eastex Freeway, Houston, TX, 77039.