Lila Racelia Fingerson Eickhoff passed away January 11, 2019. She was the daughter of Malvin and Corolla (Sundet) FIngerson. She was born October 4, 1930, at St. Marys Hospital, Rochester, Minnesota, where she was also baptized.
She attended Rice Creek country school and then moved with her family to the Wykoff area and finished her schooling in Wykoff. After graduation from high school, she attended Luther College in Decorah and taught school in Harmony and also did substitute teaching after she was married. On June 3, 1951, she was united in marriage to Donald Eickhoff at Fountain Lutheran Church and they began their life on the farm.
They were blessed with five children, Thomas of Minneapolis, Dona (Wayne Hebrink) of Lakeville, Jane (Dennis Meisner) Wykoff, Steven (Brigid Walsh) of Fountain, and Lisa (Rodney Vorwerk) of Wykoff. Lila was active in her church and community. Church activities included teaching Sunday School, Bible School, helping with instruments, playing the organ, directing Jr. Choir, and Christmas programs.
When her children were in 4-H, both Don and Lila were leaders, with Lila directing Share the Fun and taking the group to the State Fair several times. Working with the Wykoff Area Historical Society in its beginning was a community project that both Don and Lila enjoyed. In the 1960’s Don became interested in flying.
Flying became their life. When they joined the International Flying Farmers organization both Don and Lila were pilots, both were instrument rated. Lila was chosen Queen of the Flying Farmers Organization in Miami Beach, Florida in 1964, and Don became President in Syracuse, New York in 1981.
Lila was also chosen Woman of the year in 1984 in Winnipeg, Canada, the same year that she received her instrument rating. The entire family enjoyed these years of flying, traveling the entire United States and Canada. Don and Lila also flew to Mexico, Central America, and the Bahamas in their plane.
In 1986, Don and Lila retired from the farm and moved to Wykoff where Lila and her friend, Connnie, opened the Bank Gift Haus, which later included a Tea Room. In 2004, the business was sold and Don and Lila began their travels abroad. Traveling to 64 countries was a privilege they both thoroughly enjoyed.
In 2015 Don and Lila moved to The Waters on Mayowood, a retirement community. Lila is survived by her husband and children, as well as brothers, Leroy (Ruth) Fingerson of Eden Prarie, and Conrad Fingerson of Rochester, 11 grandchildren: Amanda (Nick) Greene, Stephanie Hebrink, Athena (Nathan) Nistler, Derek (Hilliary) Meisner, Jared (Katherin) Meisner, Nicole (Jason) Newville, Richard (Katie) Eickhoff, Kathleen (Alex) Mensink, Mitchell (Crystal Shepherd) Vorwerk, Andrew (Courtney Aschoff) Vorwerk, Nathan Vorwerk, 19 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Lila is also survived by in-laws; Virgil and Marva Eickhoff of Wykoff and Diane (Aaron Barnhart) Eickhoff of Kansas City.
She was preceded in death by her brother-in- law Dr. Robert Butler and sister-in-law Dr Myrna Lewis. Memorial service will be held 11:00 A.M. Wednesday January 16, 2019 at St Johns Lutheran Church in Wykoff with Pastor Michael Harman officiating. Visitation will be held 5-7 P.M. Tuesday in the basement at St Johns Lutheran Church in Wykoff.
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