John Phillip Eicher

John Phillip Eicher passed away at Swiss Village with family present on December 1, 2018. John was a lifelong Berne resident. He was born to Menno and Leota (Sprunger) Eicher on the family farm. John graduated from Berne High School in 1943 and married Mary Moser (Palmer and Edna) on November 1, 1947. John and Mary shared a strong marriage of 71 years.

John was an active member of First Mennonite Church all his life, where he was a Sunday School Teacher, Deacon, Youth Leader, and Supporter of the Mennonite Central Committee Meat Canner. John also volunteered at Camp Friedenswald in Cassopolis, Michigan in many capacities, including Counselor, Nature Guide, Board Member, and Grounds Maintenance Worker. Locally John was a member of Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, Swiss Village Board, Swiss Heritage Society, and Swiss Days Committee.

John had many interests, including photography. As a contributing photographer for the State of Indiana, John traveled many miles. Often times John traveled in his Model A Ford, which also found its way into his photographs. Other hobbies included leather work, metal fabrication, the out-of-doors, Mennonite history, and family history. John enjoyed designing model cars and trucks and brass lamps, creating and giving many away as gifts even into his 90’s.

John’s professional life centered around Moser Motor Sales, where he and his brother-in-law and lifelong friend Millard Moser were business partners in the Ford Dealership. John most of all truly loved his family and family time. As a father, he always encouraged, listened to, and was a big part of his children’s lives – teaching lessons that prepared them for life.

Surviving are his wife Mary Eicher, Berne; three children and their spouses, Phil (Cindy) Eicher, Jim (Linda) Eicher, and Greta (Scott) Lehman, all of Berne; four sisters, Rachel (the late Oliver) Sheets of Pandora, Ohio, Lena (Conrad) Nagel of Berne, Nancy (Donald) Graber of Berne, and Amy (Robert) Wechter of Ligonier; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren with four more on the way!

Memorial Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at First Mennonite Church with Rev. Jim Schwartz; Rev. David Moser; and Rev. Kenzie Intemann officiating. Friends and family will be received from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Swiss Village Chapel and one hour prior to services Wednesday at First Mennonite Church. Private interment will follow at a later date in MRE Cemetery in Berne.

Preferred memorials are to Mennonite Central Committee Meat Canner, Mennonite Disaster Service, or Camp Friedenswald.