Elaine Eck

Elaine Eck, age 85, of Helena, passed away May 16, 2011 at St. Peter’s Hospital due to complications from lung cancer.

She was born Winifred Elaine Johnson to Hazel Virginia Vandecar Johnson and Carl Wilhelm “Chuck” Johnson on May 21, 1925 in Helena. She was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church where she remained a life-long member. She attended Central School and Helena High School, where she graduated in the class of 1943. For the last two years of high school, Elaine gave up extra curricular activities to work at Western Life. After work, she would walk down and meet her father and the two of them would walk home together.

She thought it was one of the best times of her life. The third of four children, Elaine loved her life in Helena. To hear her tell it, she had one of the most wonderful childhoods ever in the company of her two older brothers with her younger brother tagging along.

After graduating high school, Elaine attended the University of Montana for three years. During school breaks, she and some of the other co-eds rode the troop trains back and forth between Missoula and Helena. While a student in Missoula, she lived in the Kappa Alpha Theta house, where she made many life-long friends.

After college, Elaine came back to Helena, where she met and married Norman E. Eck. They were married on June 14, 1947 in Helena, and then left for a six-week honeymoon along the eastern seaboard, including New York and Boston. While in New York, she was asked to become a model for the Ford Modeling Agency, but turned them down. After their honeymoon, Elaine and Norm settled in Spokane, Washington where Elaine worked as the head teller in two different banks while Norm studied at the Kinman Business University. In 1949, Norm was recalled to the U. S. Army, and he and Elaine moved to Mainz, Germany. From 1949 to 1952, they lived in Mainz and traveled extensively throughout Europe whenever Norm had leave form his service duties. In particular, Elaine loved the Isle of Capri, Milan and Venice.

Elaine and Norm returned to Helena in the summer of 1952, and had their first child, Eric, in September of 1953. From 1953 until 1958, they lived on Logan Street in Helena. During this time, Elaine modeled in several style shows at the civic center. In 1958, they moved to their current address on Sixth Avenue. In 1959, they had their second child, Janet. Then, in 1960, they opened Eck’s Toybox and Hobby Shop and that business remained open until 1975. When the toy business moved from Placer Avenue to the corner of Neill Avenue and Front Street, they also opened the Pay -n- Save Gas business, one of the last full-service stations in Helena. Elaine and Norm traveled to Seattle and Minneapolis every summer to attend toy shows and purchase toys for the upcoming season. Elaine had brilliant business acumen, and combined that with stunning secretarial skills. She was proficient at shorthand and could type over 90 words per minute on a standard typewriter. Those skills translated into two successful businesses in the Helena area. The gas business also closed in 1975.

After running two successful businesses, Elaine worked for 20 years at the state legislature, where she turned out her usual stellar work. In 5 sessions as status input clerk, she was known for the accuracy and timeliness of her work. In the other 5 sessions, she worked as a proof reader. For about 10 years after the businesses closed, Elaine and Norm would spend 6 weeks of the winter in Hawaii. In the summers, Elaine and her family began to enjoy Glacier National Park. Every summer for the past 30 years, they have traveled to the park to enjoy the splendor of Glacier. Elaine was particularly pleased to be at the Centennial Celebration of the park last summer.

Elaine supported her children in their activities in scouting, speech, piano, basketball and DeMolay. She would stay up all night helping type long papers or proofing work for her children, and she never missed one of their activities. Elaine was active in Daughters of the Nile and loved her dear friends from her sorority days as a Theta. Elaine and Norm were also very active socially in Helena, and could be seen out regularly at dances and supper clubs. They were an extraordinary couple to watch on the dance floor. Elaine was a voracious reader and loved to play bridge, work in her yard, cook gourmet meals and cross country ski. During her time in Europe, Elaine skied from the very top of the Alps with the ski instructors. She loved her grandchildren Evan, Maya and Rachel. Elaine’s greatest passion in sports was watching her Celtics play. A close second was watching the Griz. In recent years Elaine particularly enjoyed organizing and attending class reunion lunches and the cousin’s breakfasts. Going to the grocery store with Elaine was always an adventure, you simply planned for a long shopping experience as she loved to stop and visit with her many friends. A weekly trip to the beauty parlor was also a necessity. Socially, Elaine was also involved with the Junior Guild at St. John’s Lutheran Church, the Republican Party, the her Helena High Class of 1943 (who continue to meet monthly) and her University of Montana Class of 1947.

Elaine was predeceased by many relatives. They include her grandparents John August Johnson and Josephine Johnson of Helena and Delos Alfred Vandecar and Rose Freyler Vandecar of Corbin and Wickes, Montana. Because of the Vandecar family, who resided in Montana before it was a territory, Elaine was a member of the First Families of Montana. She was also predeceased by her parents, Carl Wilhelm Johnson in 1965 and Hazel Virginia Vandecar in 1969. Also predeceasing her were her brothers Kenneth Elmer Johnson, D.D.S., in 1952 and Elwood “Woody” Johnson in 1997. The window “Christ Knocking at the Door” at St. John’s Lutheran Church was dedicated to her brother, Kenny, a year after his tragic death.

Elaine is survived by her husband of 63 years, Norman Eck and two children Eric Eck of Helena (Nickie) and Janet Eck Bloom (Eliot) of Hopkinton, New Hampshire. Elaine is also survived by her three grandchildren, Evan Eck of Helena, Maya Bloom of Hopkinton, New Hampshire and Rachel Bloom of Clinton, Massachusetts. Elaine is also survived by her brother Herb Johnson (Alene Gorecki) and her sister-in-law Eleanor Eck, both of Helena. Elaine is survived by two nieces, Karen Eck Sawyer and Stacie Johnson Anderson, and four nephews, Kermit Eck, Lance Johnson, Kit Johnson and Jaime Johnson. Elaine is also survived by several of her closest, dearest friends including Bonnie Nelson and Darlene Hand.

Elaine’s family extends their gratitude to Dr. Weiner and his wonderful and caring nursing staff in the Cancer treatment center at St. Peter’s Hospital as well as the nursing staff on the oncology floor. Elaine received world class care during her illness.

Elaine was as brilliant as she was beautiful. She brought with her a love of her country, her state and the City of Helena that was unmatched by anyone. Elaine loved her family, her friends and life, and she will be missed.

A Memorial Service will be scheduled at a later date.
Arrangements are under the care of Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home in Helena.
Memorials may be sent to The Glacier National Park Fund.
Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting: www.aswfuneralhome.com.

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