100th Birthday
Doris Eckert

[January 26, 2018]  Doris Eckert of Vonderlieth Living Center in Mount Pulaski celebrated her upcoming 100th birthday with a party on Sunday, January 21, 2018 at the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church basement. Doris is surrounded here by her daughters, Rita Scanavino and Nancy Cochran and her son, Bob Eckert.

Doris was born in New Holland on January 25, 1918 to Ruth and Henry Zimmerman. She graduated from New Holland High School in 1935. She became a teacher at New Holland in the 1930s and taught the intermediate grades she said. After teaching third, fourth and fifth grades at New Holland for a while "she got married and moved to Lincoln and that ended her career teaching,” said Rita.

Doris married Stanley Eckert and he ran Eckert’s Meat Market in Lincoln with his brother, Jim.

“Back then, once you got married, you didn’t teach,” said Nancy.

A male voice in the crowd echoed the rule at the time, “Women had to be single at the time to teach.”

“Yes, if you were a housewife, that was it,” said Rita. "Years ago it was very strict. Things have changed so much.”

New Holland Community High School Class of 1935 - Doris Zimmerman Eckert in top row of students last on the right

All three of the Doris’ children became teachers. Rita is a retired from teaching in Warrensburg, where she taught band, choir and English. Nancy is retired from teaching fifth grade in Mount Pulaski. Bob is currently a music teacher in Henry, Illinois. Rita and Nancy also married teachers and each of them have two children who are teachers. Nancy’s daughters Lisa (Chicago) and Susan (Oregon) are both teachers while Rita’s children, Mary (Warrensburg) and Joe (Latham), are teachers. A family that truly must admit the apple didn’t fall from the tree. Although Mary and Lisa laughed that they swore growing up they would NOT be teachers.

Doris’ family also includes grandchildren Mark (California), Sarah (Colorado), Christine (Henry), Kayla (Chillicothe), Emily (Morton) and Ben (Henry). Doris also has eight great-grandchildren.

On Thursday there will be another birthday celebration for Doris at Vonderlieth Living Center. This celebration will also include another VLC resident who will be sharing her 100th birthday with Doris. Helen Henrichsmeyer of Mount Pulaski will also be turning 100 years old on January 25, 2018.

[Teena Lowery]