James B. Eckman ’48

James B. Eckman ’48 died on February 21, 2015, in Louisville, Kentucky. Jim graduated from Marlborough (Massachusetts) High School and attended Norwich Military Academy for two years prior to enlisting in the Army Air Corps. He flew 26 missions as a B-17 ball turret gunner in Europe, beginning with D-Day, before his damaged plane was forced to land in Switzerland. He was detained for some months before being smuggled out of the country and returning to duty in the United States. After discharge from the service he came to Dartmouth, where he was a member of Alpha Theta/Theta Chi and received an A.B. in economics. He married Jean Margot Greim, helped raise three children and spent 32 years with General Electric, retiring as program manager in marketing research at Appliance Park. He was an avid reader, enthusiastic cook and amateur historian, interested particularly in the Civil War and World War II. He and Jean also globetrotted, traveling widely in their retirement years. He was active for many years at the Reading House for the Blind among other volunteer work. He was predeceased by Jean and great-granddaughter Katherine. He is survived by children James Jr., Janet and Judy and their spouses; brothers John and Seth; eight grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Jim kept up his interest in Dartmouth and was a class agent for the Alumni Fund from 1990 through 1999.