Patricia Jean (Herbst) Eckley

Patricia Jean Eckley passed away August 24, 2022 in her home near Burns. She was born in Renton Washington on her mother’s birthday July 14, 1939 to Arnold & Marie Herbst. Pat was the youngest of three children who all proceeded her in death. She was raised on a dairy farm in Renton then Kent WA. Mom spoke fondly of raising and showing prize winning jersey cattle at the Washington Fairs.  Pat met her husband Wayne Eckley on a blind date when he was stationed near her and serving in the Air Force. Julie and Jeanne were born in Renton and then the family moved to South Carolina to the air base. When her husband went to Viet Nam, he moved them to Enterprise where he had grown up. Wayne Sr was a flight engineer on C130 planes. During his second tour in Vietnam their plane went missing. Wayne Sr was declared MIA and years later KIA and eventually the plane wreckage was found, and he was brought home. Pat never remarried and the family remained in Enterprise where in time she purchased and moved the kids to the country so they could have a large garden and raise many animals. Pat was an avid gardener, lover of all animals, well known for her cooking, sewing of children’s clothing and fed many people at her kitchen table.  She could drive a draft horse team, lead a pack string and move cattle in the high country with the best of them.  She was active in the Enterprise ward of the LDS Church until moving from there. Pat loved kids and was a supporter of 4H and FFA.  After raising her family in Enterprise mom moved to Cayuse Oregon where she, daughter Bonnie and son Wayne raised hay, cattle and had a dairy goat operation. Later as she started to slow down, she moved to Burns Oregon where she could be close to her youngest child Bonnie. They continued raising dairy-meat goats and cattle. In her final years she also started raising mini bulls for the rodeo kids.  Pat was loved by all and always had room at her kitchen table for everyone to enjoy a delicious home cooked meal from her wood cook stove.  

Pat is preceded in death by her parents, brother and sister, her husband, daughter Jeanne Eckley Terry, and grandson Jason Terry. She is survived by daughter Julie (John) Dalton, son Wayne Eckley Jr, daughter Bonnie Rasmussen, grandson Cliff Terry, great grandsons Kevin Stellman and Mason Terry. Graveside service will be held at Prairie Creek Cemetery in Joseph Oregon on Thursday September 1st, 2022 at 1PM. We hope all friends and family will join us.

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