Paul E. "Jak" Eich

Paul E. “Jak” Eich

Sheldon, Iowa

Services for Paul E. “Jak” Eich 92 of Little Rock who passed away on Thursday June 5, 2025 at Fellowship Village in Inwood, Iowa. Graveside Services will be 3 P.M. Tuesday June 10, 2025 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery in Sheldon. Father Siby Punnoose will officiate with full military rites by McGlothen-Cowie American Legion Post of Sheldon. 

There will be no visitation. 

Arrangements are under the care of the Vander Ploeg Funeral Home in Sheldon.

Obituary Of Paul Edward Eich

Paul Edward (Jak) Eich the twelfth child of Frank Peter Eich and Mary Anne Smith was born October 12, 1932 on a farm 4 miles west of Sheldon, Iowa, at the age of 4 months the family moved to a farm north east of Sheldon, astounding his family members 50 years later, he described almost perfectly many aspects of that move and the new farm’s condition at the time.

At the age of 3, Paul asked his parents to call him Jak, after a family friend named Jack who always played with him. All his life he was called Jak by family members and friends.

Paul lived on that farm until he was 13 years old when his father retired and moved into Sheldon. He attended Dale #8 country school till midway through the 7th grade, the rest of his education was in the Sheldon Public Schools.

At the age of 17, Paul enlisted in the United States Navy 10 days before the Korean War broke out. He served aboard the navy destroyer, U.S.S. Blue DD 744 and fought in every major battle of the Korean War except the Inchon Landing. He was awarded the Korean Service Medal with 6 battle stars, the Korean Presidential Unit citation plus several other medals and ribbons.

On 0ctober 8th 1953 he was united in marriage to Beatrice Marie Lovell-Lange and from this marriage in addition to his adopted son Donald Allen Eich of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was born Howard Eich of Helena Montana, Diane Miller of Omaha, Nebraska, Paula Kunkel of Chelan, Washington, Lorri Frey of Hernando, Mississippi and Paul Jr. of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Paul worked in various trades through out his lifetime and was a lifelong “rock hound” a specialist in cutting and polishing rocks and gems. He was well known as a world traveler, being the very first American Citizen to receive permission to visit the Russian Black Sea Port of Sevastopol and to visit the Crimean War Battlefield near Balaklava where The Charge of the Light Brigade made famous by Alfred Lord Tennyson’s immortal poem took place.

During this visit to Russia, he also was the first American permitted to visit the grave site of the Russian Admiral Pavel Nikimov who defended against the charge on October 25, 1854. The Admiral is buried in the basement of the church directly across the street of the commanding officer of the Russian Fleet in Sevastopol. From Paul’s obedient conduct, the City of Sevastopol has been opened to tourist of all nations. At that time he was made an honorary citizen of Sevastopol.

Paul traveled to 31 countries from as far east as Balaklava in the Crimea to as far west as Hong Kong, China. He also was the first person to drive alone through every state on the North American Continent, all 31 of Mexico’s states, all 49 US States, and all 13 Canadian Provinces. From Barrow, Alaska to Tegucipigalpa, Honduras, from Forteau, Labrador to Tapachula, Guatemala.

In addition to being a rock hound, and world traveler, Paul was most proud of his philanthropic work especially in the education of the unfortunate children of Central America. On 2 occasions Paul raised tons of supplies and money and drove alone from Ihlen, Minnesota to San Pedro Sula, Honduras, a distance of 3,500 miles one way, after Hurricane Mitch devastated the entire country. He raised funds and used much of his own to build a new school for a very poor village in Central Mexico as well as helped many other schools in Mexico with supplies.

At the age of 68 he retired and moved to the mountains of central Mexico which he loved very much. During his retirement, he continued to hep poor schools and very poor mothers with children until his death on June 5 of 2025 at Fellowship Village in Inwood, Iowa.

Paul (Jak) is survived by 5 children, all 13 of his brothers and sisters preceded him in death as well as his parents, one son- Donald Alvin Eich on June 16, 2023.