Edna Rita Eckroat

After a heroic year-long battle with brain cancer, Edna Rita Eckroat (age 79) entered the gates of Heaven to meet our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Edna passed away at Kirkwood Manor Nursing Center in New Braunfels, TX on Tuesday, May 14th, 2024. Edna is the daughter of the late Eleanor and Benjamin Moczygemba of McCook, TX. She was born on the 20th of June, 1944 in Edinburg, TX. Edna was the third of eight children. She told great stories about her time growing up on the farm in McCook. While there was a lot of hard work to be done, they managed some fun times, too. It was hard to imagine all eight kids in one house fighting for the bathroom or the last piece of her mom’s homemade bread.

Edna graduated from Edinburg High School in 1962, where she studied hard and enjoyed working in the office after graduating. Soon after, she met Kenneth Raymond Eckroat, her late husband. They were married for 39 years. Most of those, they spent in Mission, TX where Kenneth was self-employed and Edna was a devoted mom and worked as a tax accountant at H&R Block. They were active in the community and church, and enjoyed spending free time
with family and friends going to dance halls, playing cards, and traveling. Most summers they could be found at their cabin in Creed, Colorado where Edna loved hiking, horseback riding and fishing.

In 1996, Edna and Kenneth bought property in New Braunfels where they decided to retire. Sadly, their time together was cut short with Kenneth’s passing in 2003. Edna continued to make a home in New Braunfels, with the support of her family and community at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church. Through the church, Edna made many friends. She also met her best friend and longtime companion, Richard Solomon, who has been and will continue to be a special part of our family. For over 20 years, they spent time together attending church, enjoying meals together, going out dancing with friends (where they won several contests), traveling to casinos and visiting family. He has been a constant source of love and support through to the end.

Edna had a true passion for her volunteer work at the Saints Peter and Paul Thrift Store benefiting the church’s school. For over 24 years, she spent countless hours there every week working in the women’s department and helping with accounting. She often spoke of the amazing people she worked with and the interesting things that would come through the store.

Edna was a wonderful grandmother. Her home was a happy place with animals to look at, sweet treats to eat, and music playing in the background. She loved taking the kids outside for walks or to ride their scooters. She was always ready to teach them a new game or play an old favorite. Grandma/Ama was their biggest cheerleader and couldn’t wait to see their latest game, dance performance, band recital or art project. We will miss her infectious laugh, welcoming hugs, and infamous banana pudding.

During her life, Edna touched the lives of many. She was a beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend. She will be remembered for her unshakeable faith, unconditional love, and undeniable strength. She is survived by her children Bryan Eckroat (Janet), Connie Euler (Travis), and Roger Eckroat (Vanessa); her grandchildren Vanessa Rubio, Aaron Rubio (Monica), Andrew Euler (Leah), Garrett Euler, Emily Euler, Gary Eckroat and Charlotte Eckroat; her great grandchildren Joshua Rubio, Brianna Bloodworth, Oliver Rubio and Slade Rubio; her best friend Richard Solomon; her siblings Caroline Pawelek (Stanley, deceased), Bernadine Kotzur (Albert), Ernest Moczygemba (Anna), Raymond Moczygemba (Debbie), Valeria Pearl (Johnny, deceased), Monica Kopecki (John), Florence Blaylock (Ricky); and her many nieces and nephews.