Wilfrid "Bud" L. Eckert

Bud was born to the late Alvin and Leonna (Rosenberger) Eckert in Lakeview, NY. He was the third of six children, and certainly the tallest of them all. Bud attended Alfred University before being drafted into the Army where he served for two years during that short period of time after World War II and before the Korean War. Bud met (Mary) Diane Jones when they were both godparents to Donnie Hoeber, son of Bud’s sister Chloe and Diane’s cousin Don. Although they both knew that they were being set-up, they ended up liking each other and Bud would make the long drive into Kenmore to court Diane. When Bud got back from his Army stint at Fort Bragg, Bud and Diane got serious about their relationship and set the wedding date for October 3, 1959 at St. Paul’s in Kenmore. A home was purchased on Westgate in Kenmore and they became parents for the first time with the arrival of Mary Beth in 1962. Ann Marie arrived three years later in 1965 and James Arthur the next year in 1966.

The family moved to Huntington Avenue in Buffalo in 1968, when Bud was working for Bethlehem Steel. As a family, they enjoyed Church at St. Vincent de Paul where they met great friends who became life-long companions. The Eckerts, Slons (Bill, Kathie, Michael, Karen), Marilyn Pollutro, and Bill and Donna Steffan spent many great days together at the cottage and celebrating holidays and social events.

Bud was a family man. When Jim was in Cub Scouts, he became the Scout leader. He spent most winter Sunday’s not watching the Buffalo Bills (until later in his life) but ice skating with the family. He taught all his children to drive – starting the lessons at the cottage where trips to the dump were much sought after by his eager new drivers. When his kids were small, he would take off most Wednesdays during the summer so that he could be at the cottage with the family as much as possible. He would come up on Tuesday night, silently leave early on Thursday to get to work, come back up on Friday night and again slip out of the cottage bright and early on Monday to return to work.

The cottage has always played an oversized role in the life of the Eckerts. Originally built by Diane’s great uncle and passed through the generations, its future came into question in the late 1980s. At the time, there were rumors that the land on which the cottage was located (along with 63 other cottages) would be sold by the railroad company that owned it. The Beckley Beach Cottagers Association pulled together and Bud and Diane went off to a meeting to elect a new president who would need to shepherd the group through a process to try to purchase the land. They came home only to announce that Bud had been selected as that president. Bud and Diane, with other hard-working officers of the Association, spent countless hours making sure that all 64 cottage owners were on the same page so that they could make an offer for the land. Meetings were held, disagreements settled, plans drawn, money discussed, and after two years, Beckley Beach was purchased by the cottagers in 1990. He took the role of President again when the 25-year lease that was originally signed by each cottager was set to expire so that a new lease could be drawn and the future of the Beckley Beach Cottagers Corporation could continue. To this day, Beckley Beach cottagers have great affection for Bud and all that he did to ensure that summers could be spent on the shores of Lake Erie.

When the first grandchild Monica Marie Debus was born in 1993, Diane chose “Nana” as her grandmother name and eventually Bud became “Nampa.” Nana and Nampa welcomed three additional granddaughters into the world – Brianna Hope Debus (born and died on August 6, 1997), Eliza Jane Debus (born in Russia in 1999 and adopted in 2000), and Emily Grace Eckert in 2001. Bud loved his granddaughters and they loved him.

Bud worked as a mechanical engineer, beginning at Bethlehem Steel, and then Andco Environmental Processes. At the age of 60 he found himself unemployed and took the opportunity to complete his Bachelor’s degree through Empire State College to aid in his job search. He threatened to dye his hair black to look younger but he received too much objection from his family. He was employed, grey hair and all, at Keller Technology Corp from where he retired in 2000.

Bud was known for his handyman skills that usually involved some jerry-rigging, his card-playing, which was most enjoyed with fast and good players (like his children), his late-in-life skiing, his bridge clubs, his love of reading, and his nightly walks with Diane. Bud and Diane held season tickets to Studio Arena Theater for decades.

Bud and Diane loved to travel. They traveled to see their siblings in New England and the south, made road-trips to see their children wherever they were living, spent New Year’s Eve of 2000 at the top of Seneca Rocks in West Virginia, and explored many parts of the country over the years. Bud and Diane celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary with a trip to Germany with Jim and Ann Marie and followed it up a few years later with a trip to Ireland, Scotland, and Amsterdam.

Bud is remembered with love by Mary Diane Jones Eckert, whom he loved with all his heart, and his three much loved and devoted children Mary Beth Debus, Ann Marie Eckert, and James Arthur (Paula) Eckert, his three granddaughters, Monica (Carrie) Debus, Eliza Debus, and Emily Eckert, his sister Bernadine Courteau, his brother-in-law Don Hoeber, sisters-in-law Joy Eckert and Joan Jones; his many nieces, nephews, and godchildren. He was predeceased by his sister Chloe Hoeber and his brothers Norbert “Corky”, Bernard, and Leon, and his friends Bill Steffan, Marilyn Pollutro, and Bill Slon.

His family would like to express our endless gratitude to the family and friends who have shared their prayers and offered support throughout this journey. We are especially grateful to Mercedes Shelton, his personal aide for the last 5 months of his life, and the nurses, social workers, and chaplains of Hospice who helped Bud and the family through the final 3 months of his life.

Friends may pay their respects on Monday from 4-8 p.m. at Dengler, Roberts, Perna Funeral Home at 3070 Delaware Ave in Kenmore. Friends and family are also invited to attend his Mass of Christian Burial on Tuesday, June 27 at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph University Church, 3269 Main Street in Buffalo. Interment will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, 1990 Main Street, Buffalo.

In his honor, memorial contributions may be made to St. Joseph University Parish (3269 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214). Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.DenglerRobertsPernaKenmore.com for the Eckert family.