ALEDO, Illinois —
On Saturday, friends, family and those the flagman touched paid one last visit to Larry Eckhardt at Fippinger Funeral Home.
Larry was known for lining streets and roads with American flags to honor fallen soldiers and first responders. It was a job he started 15 years ago, but after an ongoing battle with thyroid cancer, Eckhardt passed away earlier this week.
With coronavirus concerns, only so many people could pay one last goodbye to “The Flagman”. A line of flag surrounded Flippinger Funeral Home Saturday afternoon, but what should be outside is also a line of people.
“If we weren’t in the situation we are now, I would expect hundreds,” estimates Angela Soule, Eckhardt’s caretaker the past 4 years.
However, Soule says she expected the turnout during the COVID-19 “shelter in place” order.
“It’s very disappointing because not only did he deserve a lot more, but I know everyone would’ve came from everywhere to honor him appropriately,” says Soule.
“Put a lump in my throat to not see any line and then I knew I needed to stop and pay my respects,” says one visitor.
The funeral home also held precautions - only one car load or family inside at a time.
“We wanted to give Larry the best tribute possible,” says Jessica Taylor, of the Kirkwood Fire Department. Her and Assistant Fire Chief, Steven Melleny, of Little York Fire Department, came early to set the flags outside Fippinger. But some flags were already waiting for them - thanks to the Aledo Fire Department.
“This morning when we came into town and saw the flags around here,” Melleny noticed. “It was someone else paying respect to Larry, not just us.”
“Larry was always the guy who had to flags out at any heroes visitation whatever it would be so they went ahead and still had it regardless of how many people showed up,” Taylor explains.
“It was super different than any other visitation I went to,” says one visitor. “It was just not a lot of communication - no hugs and just so different.”
Times like this doesn’t make saying “goodbye” easy; especially for a man who honored others with red, white, and blue.
“I wish we didn’t have six feet of not being able to get near each other,” admits Soule. “Because in times like this we all need a hug, and I have to mourn and I can’t have a hug.”
A final celebration of Larry’s life will be held once the pandemic is over. More details will come at a later date.