Norman A. Eickhoff

Norman Eickhoff

Westfield, Ind. — Norman A. Eickhoff, 88, Westfield, Ind., died peacefully in his sleep Aug. 10, 2024, while in hospice care at the Maple Park Village Center. He was recently diagnosed with an aggressive lung cancer.

Services were Aug. 20 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, Carmel, Ind.

Burial took place Aug. 21 at Crown Hill Nation Cemetery, Indianapolis, Ind.

Norm was born in Astoria, Ore., Nov. 20, 1935, to Martin and Cecelia (Becker) Eickhoff and was the third of their ten children. In the early 1940s, the Eickhoffs moved back home to Hartington, where they farmed in Cedar County. Norm graduated from Holy Trinity Catholic High School in 1953, and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, with whom he served in Korea as a tank driver in an armored battalion of the first Marine division. Norm completed two terms of enlistment as a Marine, receiving the National Defense Service Medal, The United Nation’s Service Medal, Korean War Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal. Following his military service, Norm worked for Western Electric manufacturing plant in Omaha, a subsidiary of the AT&T Bell system. He was a longtime resident of Papillion, where he and his wife, Daisy, raised their two sons.

Norm was known for his droll, satirical wit, often making “dad” jokes before they became a “thing.” He had interesting encounters with celebrities.

During a training exercise doing amphibious landings on Malibu beach, he once took a 3- or 4-year old Desi Arnez, Jr. for a ride on his tank and handed him off to the boy’s mother, Lucille Ball.

He once asked Henry Fonda’s daughter, Jane, out on a date after meeting her in Omaha. She declined.

A fan of thoroughbred horse racing, he hung out on the paddock rail at Ak-Sar-Ben racetrack with William Shatner when he was running his horses at the track.

Norman is survived by his wife of 60 years, Daisy (Hughson) Eickhoff; his sons, Mark (Callista) Eickhoff and Douglas Eickhoff; and grandchildren, Brent (Jess) Ervin-Eickhoff and Maggie Eickhoff; as well as his remaining siblings, Roland Eickhoff, Mark (Carol) Eickhoff, Sidney Eickhoff, Judy Pinkelman, William (Julie) Eickhoff, David Eickhoff, and Lawrence (Cathy) Eickhoff; and sisters-in-law, Judith (Hughson) Marlowe and Jenny (Moore) Hughson; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents; his brother, James Eickhoff; and his sister, Mary Jean Eickhoff Pinkelman.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite charity or veteran’s service organization.