In Memoriam


Sister Imelda Marie Eckhoff, OP

(1931-2020)

Vero Beach, Florida, was the birthplace – and the site of a very happy childhood – for Viola Mary Eckhoff, who would go on to become Sister Imelda Marie.

Viola Mary was the fourth child, and the third girl, born to Joseph and Viola (Dothage) Eckhoff on October 24, 1931. Her older siblings were Marilyn, Evelyn, and Joe, with Carole the youngest in the family. 

Sister Imelda recalled in her 2019 “A Sister’s Story” video that Vero Beach had much open land in those days, and she and the other children spent much of their time hiking as well as fishing and swimming, They were good times, she recalled, even if her childhood did come during the Great Depression and the family did not have much.

At Christmas, she wrote in her autobiography, each child would get one present, and for the Christmas when she was perhaps three years old, all the girls got dolls and Joe got a ball. As the family would later tell the story, “I cried and said I didn’t want a dolly, I wanted a ball. Daddy went out on Christmas Day to find me a ball.”

Read more about Sister Imelda (pdf)

make a memorial giftMemorial gifts may be made to Adrian Dominican Sisters, 1257 East Siena Heights Drive, Adrian, Michigan, 49221. 

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Avatar  charles M. Toney 3 years agoReply

Sr Imelda Marie was the kindest andmost loving nun I had in 12 years of Catholic education. I am sorry she died....I wish I had looked her up earlier.

May our good God bless her beautiful soul.

Avatar  Rita Coane Lindsey 3 years agoReply

Sister Imelda was my favorite teacher of all time at John Carroll Catholic High. Always happy and genuine. RIP sweet lady. Forever in my heart.

Avatar  Judy Ireland 4 years agoReply

Sister Imelda was a much beloved volunteer tutor at DePorres Place. Her students were so grateful to her for her patience and caring, and our DePorres staff thought she hung the moon. We miss her very much, and we're happy to have one of her drawings displayed at our Literacy Center, It is a constant reminder of her creativity and her enthusiasm for all of life.

Avatar  Carol Gross 4 years agoReply

Imelda was one of my favorite people. Her artwork graces our home in the Dominican Republic. Her generosity which was manifested in so many forms, cannot be forgotten. Her loving, interested and caring heart will speak to us through her artwork.

Avatar  B Casaleno 4 years agoReply

I am so sorry to hear of Sister Imelda's passing. She will be in my prayers.



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