Eldon Fickel

Eldon J. “Bud” Fickel, 88, a life-long resident of Princeton, Iowa, died Tuesday, September 4, 2012 at the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House in Bettendorf.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 8, 2012 at McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home in Bettendorf.  Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home.  Burial with military honors conducted by the American Legion Buffalo Bill Post 347 of LeClaire will be held at Davenport Memorial Park.  Memorials may be made to the Genesis Heart Institute or to the Scott County Humane Society.

Bud was born August 27, 1924 in Princeton, the son of Willard & Viola (Burkamper) Fickel.  He grew up in Princeton and was a graduate of LeClaire High School.

He was united in marriage to Marion J. “Mary Jane” Thompson on June 7, 1952 in Davenport and together they had three children; Michael Eldon, Lynette Ann and Teresa Lynette.  Mary Jane preceded him in death on June 4, 2005.

Bud entered the military in 1943 and served in the 58th Chemical Warfare Division, U.S. Army Corps until 1946.  His most memorable experience was to be included in the Honor Guard Trip in 2011.  He remarked that seeing the crowd of well-wishers on the return trip home was an unequalled thrill.  He was also impressed by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  He was retired from Alcoa after 25 years of service.  Prior to that, he had been employed at the Riverside Generating Station.

Bud never met a stranger and due to his great sense of humor, had a wealth of great friends.  He enjoyed woodworking, riding motorcycles, bird watching and overseeing the wildlife from his kitchen window, the Observatory of his Bird and Wildlife Sanctuary of his yard.  His friends were his joy and he had a joyful life.  Bud will be remembered as a gentleman and a gentle man.

Those left to honor his memory include his daughter, Teri (Barry Bowker); his grandchildren, Morgan Bowker of Princeton and Jeremy Fickel of Bettendorf; his very special friend, Ethel Holst; his constant companion, Pugs; his nieces, Pat (Terry) Barr and Sharon (Jerry) Morrison; his sisters-in-law, Darlene “Babe” (Gene) Bremmer of Minnesota and Loretta (Bill) Buchheit of LeClaire; his brothers-in-law, Patrick “Butch” (Lori) Thompson of Minnesota and Loren (Jamie) Thompson of Minnesota; and many great-great nieces and nephews.

In addition to his wife, Bud was preceded in death by his parents; a baby daughter, Lynette Ann; and his son, Michael Eldon Fickel.