Mildred Reeves

MILDRED ANN ECKHOLT REEVES
1921-2017

Mildred Ann Eckholt passed away on August 25, 2017, at the Pioneer Manor Nursing Home in Hay Springs, Nebraska.

Mildred was born on February 6, 1921, to Frank and Elizabeth (Stoffel) Eckholt in Humphrey, Nebraska. Her responsibilities became real big fast when her father died after a lingering illness when she was 14. She worked to help take care of her mother and 10 siblings, all the time she was attending St. Francis High School in Humphrey, Nebraska, St. Elizabeth School of Nursing in Lafayette, Indiana and while receiving her degree in nursing from St. Francis College in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

She continued supporting her mother during World War II when Mildred served in the Army Nurse Corps in the 118th Medical Evacuation Unit. She served in a hospital in England during the Battle of the Bulge and later worked at a number of evacuation units in Germany and France.
After the war, Mildred moved to Western South Dakota to work for the Indian Health Services.

While working at Pine Ridge, she met and married Howard Reeves on February 21, 1950 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. They had three children Mary Elizabeth (Vallette), Howard Davis, and Anne Patricia (Powell). She divided her time between the ranch they built in Sheridan County and business interests in Whiteclay, NE and in the Black Hills of South Dakota. She returned briefly to nursing, working for the VA in Alaska and Arizona.

Upon retirement, she became an avid golfer, gardener and served Henry Davis American Legion Post #161 of Rushville, Nebraska as Post Commander and Flag Bearer in the Honor Guard. Road trips were a huge past time for her and one of her favorite trips in recent years was the Honor Flight to Washington, DC to see the war monuments. She was proud to be counted with all those courageous veterans honored there.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard, her parents, her siblings Marie, Elsie, Arnold, Frank, Helen, Paul, George, David, Lois, Maurice and Donald and all their spouses. She was also preceded in death by one grandson, Kevin Krotz and several nieces and nephews.

She is survived by her children, Mary (Blaine), David (Linda) and Anne (Bill), six grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

Memorial graveside services will be held Saturday September 2, 2017, at the Extension Cemetery, at 11:00 AM.

A memorial has been established for the Henry Davis Legion Post #161 or the Chadron Home Health and Hospice and donations may be sent in care of Chamberlain-Pier Funeral Home, PO Box 366, Gordon, NE 69343.