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Following his having worked for Southern Railroad and while I was young, Frank held a few other jobs before he retired. I about 6 or 7 years old when he went to work on Interstate 40 as a bulldozer operator. I have no idea if he worked for any government entity at that time or was employed with a company that was contracted to do the work. After that job, he worked as a custodian, along with my mother, Ethel, at Nebo Elementary & High School (the school was combined as 1).

Frank, picture here with his sister, Noreen, when they were teenagers, was a handsome young man and often caught the eye of the ladies. When my wife, Marie, saw another picture of Frank as an older

teenager, she remarked, "No wonder the ladies chased after him; he was a beautiful young man." Unfortunately, he either did the chasing or gave into the ladies' attentions too often and his randy reputation is well known within the family. He first married, Mary Elizabeth Barber (pictured right with her children) on March 31st, 1934 and together

they had 4 children, Carroll, Neverta "Ann", Patricia, Fannie Marie, whom we refer to as Marie. I personally knew Mary Barber. She was a sweet, loving woman who never showed any prejudice or anger toward 'Frank's second set of children - which included me. "Why should I?", she once remarked to my wife, "After all, they weren't the ones that done me dirty." Frank and Mary's life, as many of the time, was a life of endless work - more so for Mary. Their relationship wasn't a happy one and Frank's philandering understandably got the best of Mary and they divorced on December 30th, 1949.

Meanwhile, Frank had already met my mother, Ethel Applee Moody (pictured left), and they married one day after his divorce from Mary was finalized on December 31st, 1949. I was their eldest son, born on May 26th, 1950. Frank and Ethel went on to have 3 more children together, Edward

Thomas, Connie Lou, and Thelma Jean. (Pictured right as adults CA 1987 with my mother and 2 grandsons.) As was the case with his 1st marriage, this one didn't prove to be any different. Frank and Ethel were also a volatile couple. In

their case and unlike Mary Barber, both Frank and Ethel had a share in the marital fireworks. Neither one was particularly prone to be satisfied with the domestic life. Their marriage, as well, ended in divorce in 1970.

Frank died in 1980, Ethel followed in 1989, and Mary Barber Ramsey passed on in 2003. Although they do not repose together, Frank and Ethel are buried in the Ballew Cemetery in Nebo, NC. Mary, who had moved to Detroit, IL years ago with her second husband, Eugene Ramsey, was laid to rest next to him at Graceland Cemetery in Albion, IL.

Funeral and Grave

Pictures of Frank Eckard

Grave of

Ethel Applee Moody Eckard

Today, the children of both Mary and Ethel enjoy the company of one another - we are aren't encumbered by their histories...we have our own to make.

Here are some documents about my father that may interest you:

To learn more about my father, click on his link below.

Note: This report begins with Frank Eckard (1914-1980) and works FORWARD only through his lineage to his 2nd generation of descendants. If more recent information is sought, please contact us through our Genealogy Inquiry Form.

"Snowflake Breakdown"

Vassar Clements (Instrumental); "Bluegrass In The Smokies", various artists

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