Services will be 1:30 p.m. Friday, April 5, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in rural Hooper for Rev. Ernest W. Eckhardt, 100, of Fremont who died April 1, 1996, at Arbor Manor in Fremont. Rev. Rodney Meske will officiate. Burial will be in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery.

There will be visitation Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the mortuary.

Ernest W. Eckhardt was born December 23, 1895, at Byron, Nebraska to Rev. Ernest and Marie Lehman Eckhardt. He was raised in the Battle Creek, Nebraska, area.

He graduated from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.

He served congregations in Gering, Nebraska, from 1920-1924; Scottsbluff from 1924-1927, and at Immanuel Lutheran Church east of Hooper from 1927 until 1966. During his ministry, he also held various offices in the Nebraska District of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Snyod.

He married Clara Neuwerk December 5, 1920, at Battle Creek.

He was preceded in death by two sons, Neal and LeRoy; a great-grandson; his parents and a sister.

He is survived by his wife, Clara; a son, Rev. Eugene (and Arlette) Eckhardt of Tecumseh, Kansas; three daughters, Vera (Mrs. Louis) Heider of Omaha; Eunice (Mrs. Thomas) Carmichael of Champaign, Illinois and Dorothy (Mrs. Kyle) Woodbury of McLean, Virginia; 25 grandchildren and 40 great-grandchildren.

Memorials are suggested to needy students at Concordia Theological Seminary at St. Louis and to Immanuel Lutheran Church.

Ludvigsen Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.