Stephentown – George H. Eckhardt, Jr., 90, passed away peacefully at his family farm in Stephentown on November 27, 2020. Born in Norwood, MA on January 17, 1930 he was the eldest child of George H. Eckhardt, Sr. and Frieda Knaus Eckhardt. Called “Skip” by all who knew him in his early years, he graduated in 1948 from the Norfolk County Agricultural High School in Walpole, MA. His alma mater inspired his lifelong career as a farmer and steward of the land. His first employment was with the Dairy Herd Improvement Assoc., working with Eastern Massachusetts dairy farmers. During his first year, 1949, he received a prestigious award for most improved dairy herds in the state. This was only the first of many accolades George received for his outstanding farming accomplishments throughout his long career in agriculture.
George married M. Jean MacDougall on October 27, 1951 in Norwood, MA. In 1952, they moved to Fort Benning Army Base in Georgia while he served his country during the Korean Conflict.
Returning to the Eastern Mass area upon discharge in 1954, George worked for several farms in the Boston area. In the spring of 1959, George placed an advertisement in a farm magazine, looking for a farm where he might be able to work his way into eventual ownership. A family in Stephentown answered his ad. George moved his family and his few possessions to Stephentown in May of 1959 where he made his home for the next 61 years. He raised his family, built a thriving agricultural business and served in many leadership positions, both locally and statewide. These include: 4-H leader in Stephentown, Stephentown Town Board Councilman for 27 years, Rensselaer County Farm Bureau President and Vice President, Agway Committeeman and Representative to State Annual Meeting, and various advisory committees to agricultural organizations. He and Jean traveled extensively to National Farm Bureau meetings all over the country including Texas, California and Hawaii.
Always busy, George spent most of his winter months until his “retirement” helping other farms and businesses. He drove a milk truck for Hatch Milk Hauling in New Lebanon, milked cows for Stanley Chittenden, delivered fuel for Larabee Fuel, hauled trailer loads of potatoes from Maine for Whitney and Son in Pittsfield, delivered wood products for Senter Lumber in Stephentown and helped fix equipment at Jiminy Peak in Hancock.
After his “retirement” George and Jean traveled in his RV to Many Mansion RV Park in Dade City, Florida to spend the winter months. Right up until Jean’s passing they traveled the south and toured the warmer climate states. George had the same spot in the park for 28 years and enjoyed the company of many fellow “snowbirds” and year-round folks at the park. Even after his wife’s death, George continued to enjoy the RV taking a 2009 cross-country tour to California with his friend Pat Coon, to see the Rose Parade in Pasadena. Although he enjoyed his winter home, he always relished returning to the farm each and every spring to help with the new season of crops, fence fixing and brush hogging the pastures and field edges.
George is most fondly remembered, not only by his family and friends but by the innumerable young people who worked at the farm over the past 61 years. For most, it was their very first job. George was a wonderful mentor to young people and for many, he was their driving instructor. Countless teenagers got their first chance to drive a pickup or tractor under George’s watchful eye and sometimes loud “Yankee-accented” voice. If you broke something, he’d hand you a wrench and say “you broke it – now learn how to fix it.” He was also cherished by his loyal customers of the famous sweet corn his farm produced and they looked forward to the summer seasons when George would deliver daily to their stores and stands.
George is survived by his five children, sons G. Martin (Kathy) of Raleigh, NC, Larry (Heather) at the family farm in Stephentown, Alan (Donna) of Stephentown, Philip Eckhardt and daughter Beth Eckhardt, both of Troy, NY. He has five grandchildren, Alan John of Stephentown, Matthew and Andrew at the farm in Stephentown and Adam and MeBette of NC and one great-grandchild, Olivia Jean of NC. George will also be missed by his neighbor and friend, Devin Peterson of Stephentown. He has two surviving siblings, Charles Eckhardt of Loudon, NH and Louis Eckhardt of Barnstead, NH.
He is predeceased by his wife, Jean who died January 2006, his parents and two siblings. He was also predeceased by his later-in-life best friend and companion, Patricia Coon who passed away in November 2019.
A celebration of George’s life and legacy will be held next summer at the farm in Stephentown.
If you’d like to honor George’s life, please consider a donation to the Stephentown Volunteer Fire Dept. PO Box 208, Stephentown, NY, 12168, The Stephentown Historical Society, PO Box 11, Stephentown, NY, 12168, or The Stephentown Federated Church, 1513 Garfield Road, Stephentown, NY, 12168.
Condolence book at ParkerBrosMemorial.com.