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Kathleen (Eckenrode) Wall

March 18, 1949 - February 02, 2024

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Obituary For Kathleen (Eckenrode) Wall

Kathleen (Eckenrode) Wall, beloved and loving wife of Gary for 55 years, passed away on February 2, 2024, after a brief, but valiant battle with leukemia. Preceded in death by her parents Robert and Dorothy Eckenrode and brother Ray.

She was the compassionate and devoted mother of Greg and his wife Jessica and Gary, Jr.; caring grandmother of Nicolina, Dominic, Catherine, Vinnie and Sam. Other survivors include her brother Rich and her sister-in-law Barbra, her brother-in-law Bill Wall and sister-in-law Sue and brother-in-law Gene. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Proverbs tell us that a person who gives freely gains even more, and Kathy was that person. She gave freely of her time and talents to her friends and family and gained the affection and appreciation of all who knew her. She was artistic, a lover of card and board games, crossword, puzzles, gardening and crocheting. Those who were privileged to receive her handmade gifts always knew what a treasure they had received.

Always ready for adventure, Kathy and Gary spent many years in their RVs and enjoyed many trips with friends and family on cruises and to Alaska, New Orleans, Las Vegas, San Francisco and New England. She was an employee of Levin for many years, but her true vocation was brightening the world with her caring ways. Many friends, especially Sylvia and Jan, can attest to the multitude of blessings they received over the years.

Friends will be received at the John F. Slater Funeral Home, Inc., 412-881-4100, 4201 Brownsville Road, Brentwood 15227 on Friday, February 9, 2024 from 2-8 p.m. A blessing service will be held on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society.

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Condolences

  • February 09, 2024

    Roxanne Kloper

    My love and deepest condolences for my wonderful Uncle Gary, for my dear cousins, Greg and Gary, and for all of their and our family, including her beloved grandchildren and siblings and in-laws of my aunt and uncle, and for all of the friends of my lovely aunt and her family. I loved hearing her stories of her wonderful in-laws (Jess, Bill, etc.) and all of the joys her grandchildren brought to her and her many stories about her wonderful dear friends and their adventures like thrift store diving and playing games and cards and knitting hats for people with cancer. It's very hard to even let all of the beautiful memories of my amazingly good and sweet and loving and kind and creative and beautiful and brilliant and generous and funny and fun Aunt Kathy into my heart all at once while we are all still mourning her loss. In recent years, even when she was bravely battling the dreadful AML, she checked in on me daily as she knew I had a hole in my heart from the loss of my mom. I loved my aunt so incredibly much. She was ALWAYS there for my mother, brother, and me. She made everything so fun with her games and crafts and just plain love. Aunt Kathy always shared her beautiful smile, and she served as a model of all that is good and pure, and her and my kind and strong and loving Uncle Gary's marriage served and still serves as a fantastic model of what true love and marriage look like. She and my mother shared so many craft projects. She put much time and love into turning a plain second-hand store dress into a cool, dazzling prom dress for me. She used her talents and gifts to design, sew, and build the most awesome Halloween costumes that my cousins, my brother, and I all excitedly wore. She patiently watched the little plays we'd make up and put on as little kids, and she always invited my date and I to stop by her house on the way to formal school dances for many pictures she would take. My childhood would not be even close to as wonderful without the fun and meaningful many weekends she and Uncle Gary invited us to 'up the trailer' to laugh and play in the sun and in the river and along the bonfires with them. Christmas and Easter holidays were always so special too with her charm and magic, fun games to play, loving cooking, and lots of jokes and good times like when Uncle Gary poured my mother's coffee right into a sugar dish for her since everyone knew her sweet tooth was enormous. Everyone laughed so hard! She patiently humored Greg and me as we had threaded 'traps' all over their house with moving ghosts and pranks and hid notes everywhere for scavenger hunts. Aunt Kathy taught us so many cool board games and puzzles, and she lovingly helped her parents and my grandparents whenever they needed. She seemed to have and show limitless love and patience. She was a giant positive force for my mother and a true and loyal friend to her ever since and even when they were just little girls. I can't even express the enormity of the positive influence of her consistent and limitless love on all of us. My Aunt Kathy and my Uncle Gary and my cousins were always more than an aunt, uncle, and cousins. They are like second parents and brothers. I am beyond grateful. Her qualities and the special shared memories with my aunt could fill up volumes of books, but I hope I've given you a glimpse of what this fantastic and very special human being meant to me and to so many others. You undoubtedly already know though, because all of us had richer and more loved-filled lives for having been blessed to have her near to our hearts.

  • February 08, 2024

    Gary Slair

    Gary, My wife Cindy and I send our condolences and deepest sympathy to you and your family at this time for the loss of your beloved Wife and Mother Kathleen. May she find eternal peace in the hands of the Lord❣️ 🙏

  • February 04, 2024

    Linda Shapiro McDonnell

    To Gary and Kathy's family, my deepest condolences on your loss of a wonderful woman. I worked with Kathy for 20 years at Levins. She was a hard worker and we enjoyed many times talking about our families and our creative talents. May she rest in peace.

  • February 04, 2024

    Erin Donahue

    Greg and Gary so sorry for your loss Erin donahue

  • February 04, 2024

    Helen Grim

    Gary,Gary,Greg, and family's you have my deepest Condolences. Praying you find peace and comfort in your shared memories. We will all miss her smile and laughter. With Love Helen Grim

  • February 04, 2024

    Debbie Wright

    Kathy will be deeply miss. She was always a sweet and kind person. Her and Gary always made me fill so welcome...such kind hearted people. She will deeply be miss...❤️

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