Cason James Eckhoff

All who saw Cason saw a firm façade, but anyone who approached him found his beautifully kind spirit. Cason's gentle soul loved his friends, his band, drawing and driving his car. He had so much to give and grow. I will miss you dearly Cason, Dad.

For almost twenty-one years, this wonderful life of Cason's has been a part of all of ours. We have seen the skinny kid with blonde curls turn into the lean dark machine. We have been witness to the ever evolving hair dos that are Cason's true fashion statement: he had the pointed "Spock-like" side burns, the Ace Ventura crazy wings, the full complete Mohawk made stiff with Elmer's glue, the concentration camp buzz cut, the 1950's slick down and lastly the My Name Is Earl up in the air bouffant. I was his hair dresser and it was a wild ride!

Cason was a multi-faceted person. He loved to hunt and fish, he and his father spent time together doing both. He taught himself how to salt and dry his own animal hides.

Cason was an amazing artist. He was almost entirely self-taught and used pen and ink capturing intricate detailed drawings. Cason's love of music was wide in range, the gambit ran from AC/DC & The Misfits to Hank Williams Jr. and Townes Van Zandt. Cason was an excellent drummer and loved rocking out with his band; and I know he was grateful to have Abram, Greg and Jameson as co-contributors for their shared art. Cason's other love was automobiles; he owned a 1962 Thunderbird, which he often took to Classic Car Shows. He and his father spent many hours together in tandem working on their old cars.

Cason was blessed to have an older sister, Christen, who adored him from the moment he arrived. She played baseball, football any sport and was his confidant always. Cason's older brother, Collin, helped him with his first shave, and looked out for him as they became men… even insisting on an occasional hug, that I know Cason needed, but would never ask for.

Cason is blessed to have his wonderful grandparents: PaPa Fred, Nanna Lynn, Nanna Nancy, Pa, and Lydia all took interest in him each in their own unique way, and what a wonderful gift he received. Our family is so large and there are so many aunts, uncles and cousins that have impacted his life and we are grateful. Jacob was especially close to his heart.

Cason is blessed with a wonderful group of childhood friends, Jack Ervin, Kevin McFarlan, Jackson Beckett, Marshal Laughead, and Will Ross were loyal compadres.

I am so very glad he met Anna Doty, she brought so much happiness into his life and was very important to him.

Some of our favorite family vacations were to the beach. Watching my three children swim in the crystal Caribbean waters together is so symbolic of the passages through our lives; sometimes floating peacefully, other times holding one another up in the mountainous waves, other times riding those waves and crashing with wonderful abandon into the shore. And on that shore I will stand…waiting there for my precious son, with a Cason shaped hole in my heart that only he can fill.

We will all stand by you.

Your ever loving mother