John H. Eck

John H. Eck, 59, of Colorado Springs, CO, passed away peacefully on Sept. 25, 2023 after a courageous battle with cancer.

John was born on Aug. 23, 1964 to Richard P. Eck Sr. and Bernadette (Eck) Brewer. John graduated from Jersey Shore Area High School in Jersey Shore in 1982. He went on to study welding at Williamsport Area Community College in Williamsport.

Shortly after graduation, John enlisted in the United States Army, where he proudly served over 14 years in service to our country. He achieved the rank of Sergeant. Highlights of John’s military career were two deployments to Korea and his time spent in Operation Desert Storm.

While serving at Fort Carson, CO, John met Deborah (Deb) Stuck, a Colorado native. They eventually married and altogether spent 28 years together until Deb’s passing earlier this year. Deb and John made Colorado Springs their home.

Late in his military career, John discovered a love and talent for computers and information technology. Although he was mostly self-taught, he achieved a remarkable career as a Senior Network Engineer with Depuy Synthes which was later sold to J&J and then Jabil, Inc. John was still employed with Jabil at time of death. During his IT career, John became a well-known expert in the field of RFID and was asked to speak both domestically and in the United Kingdom.

Besides his wife Deb, John was pre-deceased by his older brother, Lawrence.

John is survived by his parents; a step-son, Thomas Goulee; and 2 grandchildren, Ayla and Freddy. He is also survived by his siblings Rook (Tricia) Eck, Teri (Jeff) Snook, Andy Eck, Barb VanHorn, Anne (Cecil) Estes, Jeanne McCaslin and Chuck (Stacey Brady) Eck.

The family wishes to give a special thank you to John’s dear friends, Mike and Cindy Simpson, and Pete Velasco and Raschel Scott. This was his Colorado family, unfailingly there for John as friends and then to see him through his illness, as none of John’s other family was local.

John was an avid outdoorsman, enjoying all types of hunting, from small game to wild boars, to big game.

John will be remembered for his huge heart. If you were his friend, you were a friend for life and could call on him for anything, any time. As one brother likes to say, “He would give you the shirt off his back, even if it was the last shirt he had.”

A Celebration of Life gathering is being held in Colorado Springs on Oct. 4.

John will be celebrated with full military honors, followed by an informal gathering at Immaculate Conception Church social hall in Bastress, PA on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 3 p.m. Family and friends are encouraged to attend.