Ruth Markt Eichers died peacefully at home at the age of 92, on Monday, March 30, 2015, in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was born March 11, 1923, in Salt Lake City, the daughter of Emil and Elisabeth Mehner Markt. She married Jack N. Eichers on March 3, 1945, later sealed in the Salt Lake Temple. This year commemorated their 70th wedding anniversary. She attended Salt Lake City schools, the University of Utah, and the School of Nursing at the LDS Hospital.
Ruth was a member of the LDS Church and served in the presidencies of the stake and ward Young Women/MIA and the ward Relief Society. She especially loved teaching the Laurels in Young Women. She served as one of the first national officers of Lambda Delta Sigma along with her lifelong friends: Elaine Cannon, Barbara Winder, Nedra Warner, Diane Dunford, and Marie Mills. Ruth was a guide at the Beehive House for many years. She also served on several general Church ad hoc committees. For nine years she served as secretary to the Wilford Stake Presidency of which her husband was a member. In the early part of her marriage, she was active in several civic organizations and held elected executive offices.
Ruth was a true Ute. She worked in the Electrical Engineering Department at the U of U for more than 30 years. She served various professors, PhD and graduate students at the University. She especially enjoyed her working relationship with Dr. Richard Grow. She also served as president of the Sigma Chi Mothers' Club.
Jack and Ruth shared a life full of dear friends, including their "study group." They traveled together and shared many memories with friends and their families.
Ruth was caring, giving, selfless, and compassionate. She cared for her family and friends more than self, and cared for her church and country more than life. Her greatest happiness came from her husband, children, grandchildren, and close friends. She was devoted to her family, committed to her church, and passionately patriotic. She gave of her time and money in service to others, most of it anonymously. She was exceptionally sensitive to the suffering of others. She dearly loved animals, which brought her great joy.
She is survived by her husband, Jack, two sons and their wives, Preston and Shirley, Bradley and Brenda, and seven grandchildren, Jennifer (Anthony Alleman), Eric (Lauren Murray), Stephanie (Sam Hale), Anne, Caitlin, Garrett, and Colbie, and three great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and her only sibling, Enoch Markt, a navigator on a B-17 bomber killed in the European action during World War II.
Graveside services will be held at Wasatch Lawn Cemetery on Friday, April 3, 2015 at noon. Friends may visit at the Garden Heights Ward, 2220 East Fisher Lane (2935 South) on Thursday, April 2, 2015 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
