Marvin Bates "Ike" Eickenroht

Marvin Bates “Ike” Eickenroht passed away peacefully at the age of 94 on Tuesday, the 9th of April 2019 surrounded by family. Ike was born on the 17th of November 1924 in Dallas, Texas, the son of Marvin Breustedt Eickenroht and Florence Bates Eickenroht, and the half brother of Edmund Yancey Eickenroht, of San Antonio. Ike spent his early years in San Antonio before moving to New York with his stepfather, Eddie Wrightson, and mother to run a business at Coney Island.

Following the depression, the family moved back to Texas in 1937 where Ike’s stepfather worked with an oil service company in Kilgore. Ike attended Kilgore High School where he was a cheerleader and a member of the debate team, with his life-long friend John Hill. He then attended the University of Texas where he was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity and a member of the Texas Cowboys service organization. He served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946 as a Second Lieutenant in the SeaBees, and was principally stationed on the Islands of Guam and Tinian in the South Pacific. When he returned from his service, he finished his degree in Civil Engineering, working for a time in Dallas as an engineer, and then attended the University of Texas Law School graduating in 1950.

After law school, Ike took a position with the U.S. Patent Office in Washington, DC as a patent examiner, and then later moved to Toledo, Ohio to work as a patent attorney with Libby-Owens Ford Glass Company. In 1953, he moved to Houston to join the law firm of Browning & Simms (then one of the principal patent firms in Texas), where he became a partner specializing in intellectual property law. Through successions over the years, he and others formed Vaden, Eickenroht, Thompson & Boulware, where he practiced until his retirement at age 80. His legal career spanned for more than 55 years as an AV rated patent attorney.

Ike was formerly a member of Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church and St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston. He was married for 21 years to Carolyn Day Eickenroht, who predeceased him in July 1977. They had a wonderful life raising their children Robert and Molly, and enjoyed tennis, dancing and social gatherings.

In 1979, Ike found a new love in Sydney Ervin Miller and they were married in 1979. Sydney was a wonderful bride, friend, tennis partner, dance partner and mother to all. They enjoyed evenings with friends and active bridge games. Ike also relished in his weekly boys’ poker games.

During his life, Ike enjoyed hunting, fishing, tennis and travel with family and friends. Many times, for family holiday gatherings, he was known to enjoy vicious games of croquet with his life-long friend, Ray Loftin. Ike loved people and this country, and cherished life to the fullest. His greatest assets were his family and friends and the love and relationships he enjoyed with them.

Ike is survived by Sydney his wife of 40 years; son Robert Day Eickenroht and his wife, Carrie of Houston; daughter Molly Eickenroht Foster and her husband, Keith of Jacksonville, FL; stepson James Ervin Miller of Houston; stepdaughter Kathy Miller Fujimoto and her husband, Lawrence of Manhattan Beach, CA; stepdaughter Patricia Miller McCallister of Austin; stepdaughter Pamela Miller Jensen and her husband, Lasse of Copenhagen, Denmark; and grandchildren: Christina Day Eickenroht of Washington, DC; John Matthew Foster and Hannah Day Foster of Jacksonville, FL; Hobbs McCallister of Austin; and twins Sixton and Leo Jensen of Copenhagen, Denmark.

The family would also like to express their love and gratitude to Ike’s long-time physician, Matthew Lenz, his precious caregivers, Tina Saavedra and Monique Swann, and to nurses Paula, Barbara, Nancy and Reagan of Houston Hospice, who were so devoted in their care for him.

Friends are cordially invited to gather with the family and share remembrances of Ike during a reception to be held from six o’clock until eight o’clock in the evening on Monday, the 15th of April in the grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

At a later date, the family will gather for a private interment service at the Eickenroht family cemetery in Seguin, Texas.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family kindly requests memorial contributions in Ike’s name be directed to Houston Hospice, 1905 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030 or to MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, which provided such wonderful care to him and Carolyn, respectively, or to a charity of one’s choice.