Bernetta Eckelkamp Obituary

Bernetta "Bootsie" Mary Eckelkamp (nee Busch) was born on May 2, 1938, to Charles and Eleanor Busch (nee' Renfert) in Gildehaus, Missouri. She died on February 25, 2026, at the age of 87 years. She was so incredibly loved by her family and friends and will be deeply missed by the entire Busch and Eckelkamp families, and all who had the pleasure of knowing her.

Bootsie grew up on the Busch Family Farm, attended St. John the Baptist school at Gildehaus, went on to attend two years at St. Francis Borgia High School before leaving school to go to work. She started working in one of the local shoe factories, met her future husband Marvin G Eckelkamp, married in April of 1958, left the workforce and started their family, supplementing their income with childcare for other working families. Bootsie (a nickname that stuck because her older sisters could not pronounce " Bernetta"!) reentered the working world at the Brown Shoe Factory in Union, Mo until it's closure. She decided to get her GED at the age of 54. Bootsie spent the next 31 years waitressing mostly at Tri-County Truck stop, head cafeteria cook at St John's School, helping her sister Rosie with Spaunhorst Catering, and then Rothchild's in Washington where she became known for her exemplary waitress service, legendary carrot cake and delicious cream puffs.

Bootsie had a big heart that had a love for helping others and giving back to her community. She helped thousands by giving innumerable pints of blood and platelet donations for the Red Cross throughout her lifetime. For many years, she also delivered Meals on Wheels to other seniors in the Washington area, taking a little time to visit with them as she realized the bit of company she could provide for a few minutes was as important to some as the meal itself.

She spent her recent years traveling the world making it to China, Ireland, and all over the United States. Her weekend itineraries were filled with attending every dance from Gildehaus, MO to Ashland, MO and beyond with her later partner in love, life, and happiness, Wynn Melton.

Bootsie was the guiding light and the glue of her family. She was a devoted and proud mother to her seven children, a caring grandmother to four grandchildren, a doting great-grandmother to six (soon to be seven) great-grandchildren, and a loving partner to her "significant other," Wynn. She loved family gatherings at her house for holiday meals and in the summer when everyone would come over to swim. She loved to be outside sitting on the sunporch, picking walnuts, watching and feeding her birds, getting mad at the squirrels and raccoons, attending church dinners on Sundays, and watching the St. Louis Cardinals on TV. Idle hands and feet were not part of her DNA. Her strength, spirit, and heart will continue to live on in the countless lives she touched, and her family will carry that shining light forward.

Bootsie was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Eleanor Busch; her husband Marvin G. Eckelkamp; her son, Keith Eckelkamp; her sisters, Rosemary Spaunhorst (late husband Otto) and Charlene Busch (in-childhood); her brother, Charlie Busch; sister-in-law, Marie Busch; brother-in-law, Don Voss; and adopted brother, Bill Busch(late wife Theola).

She is survived by her children: Marvin C. Eckelkamp (Elena), Dale Eckelkamp (Diane), Brenda Eckelkamp, Michael Eckelkamp, and Mary Kay Eckelkamp-Derby (Melvin), all of Washington, MO, and Gary Eckelkamp of Hermann, MO. She is also survived by four grandchildren: Keith Eckelkamp, Debbie Boling (Stewart), both of Washington, MO, Erica Armenakis (Nicholas) of Sublimity, Oregon, and Brett Eckelkamp (Tracey) of Montgomery City, MO; six great-grandchildren: Sloane, Archer, Alex, Stella, Isabel, and Nicholas; and her significant other in their golden years, Charles "Wynn" Melton of Union, MO. In addition, Bootsie is survived by her brothers, John Busch and David Busch (Mary Ann), and her sister, Martha Voss, all of Washington, MO. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Evelyn Busch of Dutzow, MO, and brother-in law, Harold Eckelkamp and wife Judy of Washington, MO. She also leaves behind many nieces, nephews, relatives, friends, and the thousands of customers from her long waitressing career.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM on Friday, March 6, 2026 at St. John the Baptist Gildehaus Catholic Church in Villa Ridge, MO with Rev. Nicklaus Winker officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Visitation for 87-year-old Bernetta "Bootsie" Eckelkamp will be held from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Thursday, March 5, 2026 at Oltmann Funeral Home in Washington, MO. A parish rosary will be prayed at 2:30 PM on Thursday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Friends of St John's or The Franklin County Humane Society. Mass intentions at St John's are also greatly appreciated. Alternatively, donors are encouraged to donate a pint of blood or platelets in honor of Bootsie.

The Eckelkamp family is served by Oltmann Funeral Home in Washington, MO.