Geraldine Teresa Eckhardt

Graveside services for Geraldine Teresa “Geri” (Simunek) Eckhardt, 76, of Skiatook, OK, were held Friday, August 27, 2021, at Carl Junction Cemetery in Carl Junction, MO. Father Bob Wachter officiated. Casket bearers were Jesse Gourd, Matthew Gourd, Hunter Gourd, Ryder Gourd, David Gourd, and Bart Eckhardt.

Geraldine was born July 13, 1945, in Hennessey, OK, to Albert Ernest Simunek and Lucille M. (Houska) Maly. She passed away August 18, 2021, in Tulsa, OK.

Geri, also known as “Grandma Kansas”, grew up in Hennessey, OK and met and married her first husband, Leroy Rinehart there. Leroy later joined the Army and moved to Georgia; and Geri gave birth to her daughter, Karen. In 1964, Leroy was killed in an oil field accident. Geri later met and married her husband, Gerald Eckhardt.

Geri attended the Joplin School of Nursing where she obtained her Licensed Practical Nursing licensure and went on to work as LPN. Geri loved to travel, taking summer vacations going anywhere, or somewhere new in the motor home and enjoyed taking grandsons with her. Geri loved to shop, especially going to yard sales. When Geri’s health wasn’t as good, she would still shop through catalogs. She loved spending that money! Throughout all of her shopping adventures, Geri became a collector of many things, collecting Star Wars merchandise, amber jewelry, Indian, and Buffalo statues, dolls, plates, different types of rocks, etc. Geri also enjoyed watching and recording movies.

In her later years, Geri loved making quilts for all of her great-grandchildren. She just loved everything. She loved all of her grandchildren almost as much as her dog, Tonka.

She is survived by her daughter, Karen Lynn Rinehart-Gourd; stepson, Keith Eckhardt; grandchildren, Jesse Leroy Gourd and Matthew David Gourd; great-great-grandchildren, Hunter Gourd, Ryder Gourd, Mason Gourd, Kyra Gourd and Sage Gourd; and many other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, Leroy Rinehart and Gerald Eckhardt; mother, Lucille Maly; father, Albert Simunek; and best friend, Wesleene Haldaman Wynia.

Arrangements and services were entrusted to Johnson Funeral Home, Sperry.

Online condolences to the family can be made at johnsonsperry.com.