Louanne Eckstrom, 90, of DeKalb, Illinois passed away peacefully on February 6, 2025.

Louanne was born March 19, 1934, in Magnolia, Illinois. She was the daughter of Lois and Marion Hull.

Only living in Magnolia for a year, Louanne looked forward to the summers spent in Lostant, Illinois on Aunt Clara’s farm, where she collected eggs and helped herd the dairy cows. When she was not working on the farm in the summers, Louanne resided and grew up in Sycamore, Illinois. In high school, while she excelled at academics, her true love was cheering for her mighty Sycamore Spartans. Outside of school, she worked at the National Bank and Trust posting checks. Louanne was a 1952 Sycamore High School graduate, and was adamant her class was the best class, ever.

After attending Rockford College, then Northern Illinois University, Louanne earned a Bachelor of Science

Degree in Education with an emphasis in nutrition and home economics. It was on NIU’s campus in a psychology class, Louanne’s petite stature, and her dainty wrists caught the eyes of the gentleman in the row behind, who became her loving and caring husband of 66 years, Norman Eckstrom.

Louanne taught home economics at Waterman High School, in Waterman, IL while Norman completed his degree. For over 60 years, Louanne took on and excelled in her greatest accomplishment as a mother, wife, and maintainer of the household in DeKalb, where they raised their family of three kids Patti, Brian, and Liz.

Louanne showed her love for her community through her organization of yearly neighborhood street picnics, the neighborhood US 1976 bicentennial celebration, distributing Christmas Eve luminaries, arranging meals for neighbors in need, and delivering lunch for Meals on Wheels. Louanne supported her children at school by participating in the Parent Teachers Association, and as a spectator at sporting events, cheering on her NIU Huskies, and her grandchildren. When Louanne was not helping Norm with the resource center at the First United Methodist Church of DeKalb, she was a volunteer in the hospital Auxiliary, at both Haish and Kishwaukee Community Hospital, and most recently at the Family Service Agency Country Store Thrift Shop. Louanne and Norm enjoyed traveling across the country, but highlights were of those trips taken internationally.

As her cherished friendships remained strong with her high school classmates, new ones formed with those who shared her childhood love of the Chicago Cubs and even embraced those friends who dared to support the Cardinals. When she was not watching the Chicago Cubs, Bulls, or the Bears, she enjoyed hosting special dinners, holidays, and couples Bridge Club. Her circle of female companionship evolved through her membership in the Red Hats Society, serving as a member and historian of P.E.O., Chapter DX, and participating in golf and bowling leagues.

Louanne is survived by her three children, Patti (Comegys), Brian Eckstrom (Marialuci), and her three children, Thomas, George, Louise (Robert) Schneeberger), and Liz (Jon) Bockman and three grandchildren, Kyle Comegys, Austin and Owen Bockman, and her sister, Sandi Vuttera, and niece and nephew, Lisa (Jon) Johnson and Luke Vuttera.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Norman, and her parents Lois and Marion Hull, and many great aunts and uncles.

Visitation will be at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, with services beginning at 3:00 pm, both at Anderson Funeral Home, 2011 South Fourth Street, DeKalb, IL.

Louanne’s legacy for the love of knowledge grew through the world of books at DeKalb Public Library.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in honor of Louanne Eckstrom, to the DeKalb Public Library, in care of Anderson Funeral Home, PO Box 605, 2011 South Fourth Street, DeKalb, IL 60115, or visit the DeKalb Public Library website at https://dkpl.org/donate/.

For information, visit www.AndersonFuneralHomeLtd.com or call 815-756-1022.