Virgil L. Eckhoff

Virgil L. Eckhoff, 86 of Sioux Falls, SD died Thursday, April 12, 2018 at Sanford Hospital.
Funeral Services will be Tuesday, April 17, 2018, at Miller Funeral Home-Southside Chapel (7400 South Minnesota Ave) at 10:30 am with the Rev. Jeff Eisele of Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery, Clark, SD.
Visitation will be on Monday, April 16, 2018 from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, with family present from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Miller Funeral Home- Southside Chapel (7400 South Minnesota Ave) Sioux Falls, SD
Online condolences can be left for the family at www.christysmith.com .
Virgil was born April 13, 1931 to Henry & Cora (Hopland) Eckhoff near Pingree, ND. He was raised in Maynard, MN where he graduated from Maynard High School in 1949. He attended Northern State Teachers College in Aberdeen, SD and taught country school for two years near Marietta, MN. He began his 40-year banking career in 1953 at the Clark County National Bank in Clark, SD. While living and working in Clark, he met Mary D. Audus. They married on June 24, 1956 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Clark. The couple made Benson, MN their home, where Virgil was the head cashier and later Vice President at the 1st State Bank of Benson from 1954-1970. While in Benson he also graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Banking. Virgil transferred to Blue Earth, MN in 1971 and served as Vice President at the 1st National Bank of Blue Earth. While there he graduated from the National Commercial Lending School at the University of Oklahoma. In 1976, he was promoted to serve as President and CEO of First Bank Lidgerwood in Lidgerwood, ND. Virgil oversaw the building of a new bank building for the community. In 1982, he was transferred to Windom, MN where he was named the President and CEO of First Bank Windom. In 1986, after working for First Bank System (now US Bank) for 33 years, the small-town banks of the upper mid-west were sold to a newly formed banking company called Community First Bank Shares. First Bank Windom became Community First Bank of Windom where he was named President and CEO. Virgil retired in 1991 and remained on the board of directors at the bank until 1993. Later they moved to Sioux Falls, SD to be closer to family. In mid - 2004, he was hired to do some consulting for several banks in southwest Minnesota. He worked for 18 months consulting before retiring a second time at the end of 2006.
Virgil was active in all of the communities he lived in, holding various offices and positions on many different boards and service clubs. He also served on many different church boards in those communities. He was a charter member of Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls and served as its first treasurer.
His hobbies included walleye fishing, playing golf, traveling, building puzzles, playing cards and collecting Lionel model trains with his son Dan.
Survivors include his wife of 61 years Mary of Sioux Falls, three children; John Eckhoff and his wife Sara of Sioux City, IA, Cynthia Nassen and her husband William of Sioux Falls, SD and Dan Eckhoff and his wife Kelly of Sioux City, IA, five grandchildren; Mark Nassen, Kristin Nassen, Henry Eckhoff, Cora Eckhoff and Emily Eckhoff, a brother; Wayne Eckhoff and his wife Mary of Perham, MN, and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers; Norman Eckhoff and his wife Shirley and Cecil Eckhoff.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials to Spirit of Joy building fund.