Odelia V. (Iffert) Eckhart

Odelia Victoria Eckhart, age 99, of Willmar, Minnesota, died Sunday, December 28, 2025, at RenVilla Care Center in Renville.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 3, at the Church of St. Mary in Willmar and will be streamed at ourlivingwater.org/odeliaeckhart.html. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the Mass at the church. Interment will follow at Redwood Falls Cemetery.  Memorials are preferred to Safe Avenues, PO Box 568, Willmar MN 56201.  Arrangements are with Harvey Anderson & Johnson Funeral Homes, www.hafh.org.

Odelia Victoria Eckhart was born April 16, 1926, in Morgan, Minnesota, the daughter of Joseph and Cleopha (Schulte) Iffert. She was baptized at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Morgan. She later moved with her family to Sleepy Eye and Delhi and graduated from Belview High School. Following graduation, she lived in Minneapolis.

On September 20, 1952, Odelia was united in marriage to Clarion Eckhart. They made their home in Redwood Falls, where they raised their six children: Mark, Scott, Bruce, Holly, Jennifer, and Melanie. Odelia was employed at Morgan’s Red Owl in Redwood Falls.  After Clarion’s death in 1990, she moved to Willmar. Odelia had been a resident of RenVilla Care Center since November 2024.

Odelia was a member of St. Catherine’s Catholic Church while living in Redwood Falls and a current member of the Church of St. Mary in Willmar. She served as an election judge in both Redwood Falls and Willmar and was active with the DFL. She volunteered with Project Mainstay and Habitat for Humanity. She was a member of the Willmar Senior Center and enjoyed attending dances there.  Odelia enjoyed needlepoint, playing cards, music, and traveling. Most of all, she treasured time spent with her family.

She is survived by her children: Mark (Sharon) Eckhart of Willmar, Scott Eckhart of New Mexico, Bruce (Ronda) Eckhart of Hutchinson, Holly Eckhart (Dave Tisue) of Redwood Falls, Jennifer (Jeff) Locke of Rosemount, and Melanie Eckhart of Willmar; 13 grandchildren: Tianna (Dane) Braun, Rachel Eckhart, Maggie Eckhart, Erica Eckhart, Andrew (Sari) Tisue, Angela (Ryan) Hoosline, Caleb Locke, Thomas Locke, Scarlet Locke, Tessa (Nick) Engler, Hannah (Jordan) Christianson, Chloe Hansen, and Cayden Hansen; five great-grandchildren: Austyn Braun, Jordan Braun, Ari Tisue, Luke Hoosline, and Emmett Engler; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Clarion; and seven brothers and seven sisters.

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