William C. "Bill" Eckhardt

William Charles (Bill) Eckhardt, 77 of Franklin, peacefully passed away Sunday, August 22nd, 2021, after a brief and courageous battle with a very rare form of leukemia. Bill is survived by his wife of 43 years, Kim Eckhardt, his son David William Eckhardt (Kathryn), his precious grandchildren William and Elise, all of Franklin, his brother Steve, his sister Julie, and other relatives in Wisconsin and Colorado. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, William and Roberta Eckhardt, his sister Sheri Eckhardt Fogle, and niece Mary Jo Fogle. Visitation will be held on Friday, August 27th, 2021, from 3:00 to 6:00 PM. As a follower of Jesus Christ, Bill attended Hales Corners Lutheran Church and a Christian funeral service will follow at 6:00 PM. Both the visitation and funeral service will be held at the Max A. Sass Funeral Home in Franklin, Wisconsin. Burial will be at the Wildwood Cemetery in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, on Saturday, August 28th, 2021, at 11 AM. Please see details at the Max A. Sass website. Upon graduating from Sheboygan South High School, Bill entered the Navy, training at the Great Lakes naval training center in Illinois and then with the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton in California. He was in the Navy SeaBees (the Construction Battalion), providing electrical installation for military bases while being stationed in Guam. After completing his military service, he entered the five-year journeyman electrician program in Milwaukee. Bill had a 45-year career in the commercial electrical construction industry. After working as a journeyman electrician for several years, he became a project manager for Commonwealth Electric, moving around the country for several years and overseeing large government projects (including power plants, a terrorist training facility at Fort Bragg, NC, VA hospitals, barracks at Ft. Benning, GA, the Consolidated Space Center in Colorado, and others). After moving back to the Milwaukee area, Bill finished his career at Uihlein Electric in Milwaukee and retired in 2009. Bill was a devoted, generous, and loving husband, father, and grandfather. Bill loved taking his family to Packer games, Disney World, and to Siesta Key, Florida. He was most proud to have seen his son, Dave William, graduate from law school and to have become a partner in the law firm of Husch Blackwell, where he practices in the Milwaukee office. Most recently he loved to give his grandchildren motorized scooters and cars. He was a man of great strength, and was very kindhearted, both traits that will continue on with his family. His family will all miss him tremendously and the advice he always gave. His family wishes to extend the most heartfelt and sincere thank you to the Zablocki VA Hospital in Milwaukee, and with special thanks to his medical team - NPR Julie Jensen, the entire Hematology clinic at the VA, special nurse Sarah, Dr. Hammons, and the entire nursing staff and doctors of the 4th floor, for the immeasurable comfort, care, concern, and devotion they all displayed every day and night to him and all of their patients.