Jim Eckenrode, 75

Jim Eckenrode “crossed over the Great Divide to God’s Country” on March 21, 2016, after a long illness.

James Ivan Eckenrode was born April 24, 1941, in Camden, Arkansas, to Ivan and Mary Sue FitzHugh Eckenrode. He spent his grade school years there near extended family. His parents later moved to Glendive, where Jim attended high school. He hunted and fished with his friends, and worked summers in the oil fields.

After graduation, Jim joined the U.S. Army, attended a series of specialist schools, and by 1966 was stationed in Germany. By that time, he had decided to make the Army his career. In late 1966, Jim began his first of two tours in Vietnam, the first with the field artillery and the second assigned to the Army Special Forces. He served overseas tours in Germany, Vietnam, Thailand and Korea. Jim retired as a command sergeant major in 1984, with many decorations.

Married in Thailand, Jim divorced in the U.S. and raised his two small children as a single parent. Upon retirement, he moved his family to the Flathead Valley of Montana, where Linda and Billy attended school. He later moved them to the El Paso/Las Cruces, New Mexico, area. There Jim worked at times in home construction, sold real estate, sold nutritional products, and became a communications specialist for the New Mexico school system.

Jim was an avid outdoorsman, enjoying hiking, backpacking, hunting and fishing every month of the year. As a member of the Flathead Freetrappers, he attended many rendezvous and enjoyed visiting with his many like-minded friends.

Jim remarried in 2004; Michele provided him comfort and devoted companionship for the rest of his life.

Jim is survived by his wife, Michele, of Columbia Falls; daughter, Linda Martinez, of Las Cruces; son, Billy Eckenrode and spouse Monica of El Paso, Texas; granddaughter, Desere; grandson, James; and two stepgrandchildren, Eduardo and Sofia.

A memorial service with military honors will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 23, at Fairview Cemetery, Middle Road, Kalispell. There will be no reception.

Jim was a loving, gentle soul who touched many lives. He will be missed by many.