Arlen Gene Eckert's Obituary
Arlen Gene Eckert, 75, went to be with the Lord Friday, November 15th, 2019. Arlen, known by most as Butch, is survived by wife Sylvia Eckert, daughter and son-in-law Brittany Nicole and Jonathan Basden, and numerous nieces and nephews. Arlen has gone to be with his parents Herbert and Rosa Lee, brother Roy Dale, sister Marilyn Pearl, and sister Jeanette Ann.
Butch wrote out his own life history, and I thought that the best way to honor him is to allow him to tell his own story:
“I was born November 27th, 1943, in Burton, Washington County Texas, the third of four children (Marilyn, Jeanette, Arlen, Roy) of Herbert Alfred Eckert and Rosa Lee Kiel Eckert. Dr. Southern was the delivering doctor at the Burton hospital. Shortly thereafter, our family moved to the Houston area, where Herbert, my dad, gained employment in the shipyards to contribute to the war effort.
I was baptized February 6, 1944, at Walhalla, Texas by Rev. H. Brunotte of Carmine, Texas, and confirmed by Rev. Harms of First Lutheran.
We settled in the Greens Bayou, Texas area where I attended Woodland Acres Elementary and Junior High schools, and then attended Galena Park High School in Galena Park, where I graduated in June of 1962, after a curriculum in engineering.
After school, I went to work in the construction and repair business with my dad Herbert, for a few years. I then moved on to Texas Electric Steel Casting Co., where I worked on the furnace preparing steel for pouring in the casting mill.
In June of 1965, I received a congratulatory letter from my Uncle Sam, telling me that I had been selected to join the United States Army for 2 years. I got a bus ride from Baytown, Texas to Fort Polk, Louisiana for basic training where I gained an expert badge in marksmanship. After basic training, I was sent to Fort Bliss, Texas where I served in a missile battalion maintaining missile launchers. Then I was moved to Fort Eustis, Virginia where I served in a transportation battalion working on helicopters. Next, I got a long plane ride to Oakland, California and then a longer plane ride to Hawaii, the Philippines, and then Saigon, Vietnam for a stint (one year) in Company D, 84th Engineer Battalion, based on the outskirts of Qui Nhon in the central highlands of Vietnam supporting the 1st Cavalry Airmobile Infantry Division. After completion of my service there, I flew out of Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam to Japan, and then on to Seattle, Washington, and then home. I got an honorable discharge from active duty as a Specialist E4 and completed my reserve duty during which I served two weeks training with a National Guard company from the Dallas area at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. I completed my reserve duty in June of 1971 when I received a full and honorable discharge from the service.
After the service, I went to work for Houston Lighting and Power Company on December 13, 1967. I went in as a trainee, worked my way from auxiliary operator to control operator, to head operator, to foreman, to shift supervisor, to general supervisor, worked as a temporary assistant plant manager, and retired in 2005 as a shift supervisor. During my tenure, the company went from Houston Lighting and Power, to Houston Industries, to Reliant Energy, to Texas Genco, to NRG.
I met Sylvia Dempsey, and on January 24, 1970 we were married in First Lutheran Church of Pasadena. I and my family were members of First Lutheran Church of Pasadena, Peace Lutheran Church of Pasadena, Atascocita Lutheran Church of Atascocita, and Lamb of God Lutheran Church of Humble. Sylvia and I adopted a daughter, Brittany Nicole, who was born October 31, 1990.
I have been, am, and always will be a believer. There are times in my life when I have strayed from the perfect path, but have never strayed from the philosophy of the golden rule.”
What’s your fondest memory of Arlen?
What’s a lesson you learned from Arlen?
Share a story where Arlen's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Arlen you’ll never forget.
How did Arlen make you smile?