Donald excelled in agriculture under the direction of J.L. Tatum during his Fredericksburg High School on Travis Street years. He enjoyed showing steers, lambs, and hogs with FFA classmates, and his brothers. He saw great success at Gillespie County, District, and Major Livestock Shows with so many of his Gillespie County friends and family. Upon graduation in 1949, he joined his father and brothers in farming and ranching. He expanded the family peach orchard operations, leasing peach orchards from his father, and bought a ranch in Burnet & Williamson Counties with two of his brothers, where they raised Angora goats and Angus cattle.

Donald was inducted into the United States Army and served 1955-1957 with a final tour with a Field Artillery Missile Battalion in Vicenza, Italy. He was honored to serve his country, as his father had in WWI, and his brothers in WWII and later. After his military service, he returned to Fredericksburg and resumed his farming and ranching ambitions.

Donald knew the importance of Texas Agriculture, as he was immersed in it all of his life. As the Gillespie County Fruit Growers (GCFG) Co-Op’s original Fredericksburg location was no longer large enough to handle the increasing quantity of peaches being produced in Gillespie County, his brothers, and his father were instrumental in helping to plan and build the new, larger GCFG Co-op Grading and Packing Shed (Burg’s Corner) in Stonewall, Texas. He served as President of GCFG for many years, along with leadership positions in Texas Fruit Growers Association and Hill Country Fruit Growers Association. He also served as a director of Gillespie County Farm Bureau in the mid 1960’s to early 1970s. In January 1978, Donald was asked to be a charter member of Governor Dolph Briscoe’s initiative to establish a “Governor’s Committee to Make Texas Agriculture No. 1 in Income and Profit”. This was part of a statewide effort to develop a “united front” to strengthen the economic position of our most vital industry.

Donald met the love of his life, Carol Kay Rode, at a family barbeque in 1969 along the Pedernales River. They were married at Bethany Lutheran Church February 27, 1971, and they became a farming and ranching team. They Donald Edgar Eckhardt of Fredericksburg passed away on July 22nd at his home at the age of 93 years old. He was born on March 5, 1932, the son of Otto A. Eckhardt and Antonie Selma (Braeutigam) Eckhardt. Donald was baptized and confirmed at Bethany Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg.

Donald attended grade school at Meusebach Creek Community School. He had wonderful memories of riding his donkey, Pete from the Eckhardt homeplace, crossing the Pedernales River before reaching the Meusebach Creek schoolhouse to join his classmates.