PIERRE, SD – Irma Eckert Spencer, 89, died on Thursday, October 10, 2024 at Edgewood Senior Living in Pierre, SD. Funeral services will be at 10:30am on Friday, October 18, 2024 at Isburg Funeral Chapel. Irma’s place of rest will be at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis, SD.

Irma was born in Denkendorf, Germany on September 27, 1935 to parents Karl and Paulina Eckert. She studied business at school near her hometown in Germany and following graduation worked for an architect, using her English language skills as the firm helped build a US military base. In 1960, she met and fell in love with a young, handsome US Army soldier from Lamberton, Minnesota stationed nearby at Nellingen, Germany.

Ted Spencer and Irma Eckert were soon married in 1961. Irma and Ted travelled the world together during their Army career, spending many happy years in various exciting assignments in Germany, California, Washington, and Kansas, but also enduring long separations during Ted’s tour of duty in Vietnam as well as his extended deployments and training exercises.

Irma’s tough German heritage served her well during these hard separations, as she devoted herself to her two children and serving in various volunteer activities while awaiting Ted’s safe return back home. Irma had many different titles during her lifetime, but the most important ones to her were those of “proud US Army spouse”, “Mom”, “Gammy”, and “Oma”. She always prayed and wished for the best for her two children, as well as all her grandchildren and extended family and friends. She constantly encouraged and exhorted those closest to her to always do their best and strive for ever greater achievements in life. She was wholeheartedly devoted to everyone else’s success and happiness, constantly worrying if everything was okay in their lives and not ever really concerned with her own well-being. A bible was never far from her reach, and she enjoyed her daily devotional readings, which gave her comfort and peace.

Irma is survived by her husband Ted Spencer, son Ted (Jindra) Spencer, daughter Joan Spencer, granddaughters Sarah (Jarrid) Kraft, Kaitie Spencer, Erin Spencer, Anna Spencer, grandsons Thomas Spencer, Adam Spencer, and great granddaughter Juniper Kraft. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

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