Gary Eckenroth

Mr. Gary Lee Eckenroth, 79 passed away Wednesday December 30, 2020 at Forsyth Medical Center.  He was born August 8, 1941 in Reading, PA., the son of J. Russell and Lucy Fielding Eckenroth. He was a graduate of Wilson High School and Shippensburg State University.  A capsule of his career has Gary starting at Hershey Foods before moving on to the Quaker Oats Company. While with Quaker, he became the director-human resources where he was responsible for staffing, employee development and succession planning for the U.S. Grocery Products Group. He left Quaker Oats to join RJR Nabisco as the Vice President of human resources for the Planters Life Savers operating companies. In this position he managed a full relocation of the company from New Jersey to North Carolina. After 12 years, he retired and joined Wake Forest University as the university compliance officer. Gary loved to play golf and watch sports especially, the Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, Wake Forest University and the University of Kansas. His greatest joy was watching his grandchildren play lacrosse. A jolly person, he never met a stranger and treated everyone as his best friend.  He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Eleanor “Ellie” Eckenroth and a brother, Jere Eckenroth. Survivors include his children, Stephanie Walker (Randy) of Fox River Grove, IL, Bradley Eckenroth (Angie) of Olathe, KS., and Mike Eckenroth (Rebecca) of Lewisville; eight grandchildren, Rachael Sara (Mike), Kelsea Bell (Justin), Kyle Walker, Brady Eckenroth, Anna Walker, Hannah Eckenroth, Adam Eckenroth and Luke Eckenroth and a great grandson, James Bell. A Celebration of Gary’s Life will be held at a later date.