Curtis Neil Eikamp “Curt” passed peacefully with family at his side at Emplify Gundersen Health, La Crosse, Wisconsin, July 1, 2026. He was born August 16, 1955, to Fred and Helen (Peterson) Eikamp in Britton, South Dakota.

He attended Britton High School, graduating in 1973 as Class President. His independent spirit took him to Tempe, Arizona, where he was found working and making lifelong friends.

It was in Tempe that he rekindled his friendship with a former classmate who would become his wife of 47 years. Curt and Jeanine (Eye) were married there June 13, 1979. They fulfilled a sense of purpose to serve their country by working for a defense contractor at Thule Air Base in Greenland. Their responsibilities centered on manning the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS) radar site, providing warning of any ballistic missile attacks on North America. They worked in tandem with the U.S. Air Force for five years doing 12 hour days, seven days a week.

After BMEWS, Curt earned an Associates Degree in Physics from Macon College in Georgia; then received his Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering from Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama. His work ethic and top performance with an electrical manufacturing company in Winona, Minnesota, prompted his company to ask him to set up a manufacturing assembly line in China, which he respectfully declined, and opted instead to briefly provide his talents to a Georgia plant. Retirement came in 2019 after putting in a few short years at Ashley Furniture in Acadia, Wisconsin.

Jeanine was the love of Curt’s life, and he was unabashedly proud of sons Matthew and Jordan. Curt and Jeanine immersed themselves in the boys’ activities throughout their lives, showered them with love and support, and raised their sons to be independent, confident adults. Curt considered Matthew and Jordan his greatest successes.

When Curt spoke listeners might hear something of a serious nature, or a ‘where did that come from’ interjection of pure humor...or a combination of both, followed by his signature chuckle. His quick wit, one of a kind sense of humor, and ability to engage on any topic with family and friends were defining traits that everyone loved about him.

He was happiest when he was with his family, listening to a wide array of music, on a motorcycle ride, engineering a project that he was working on, or talking of his boys with pure amazement in his voice that they were really his.

He will be missed. Curtis is survived by his loving wife Jeanine; son Matthew Eikamp, Augsburg, Germany; son Jordan and daughter-in-law Stephanie (Howsare) Eikamp, Lisbon, Iowa; brother and sister-inlaw Kevin and Rita (Lewis) Eikamp, Dysart, Iowa. He is preceded in death by parents Fred and Helen (Peterson) Eikamp; In-laws Forrest and Martha Eye; brother and sister- in-law Rodney and Cindy (Zuehlke) Eikamp; and granddaughter Willow Mae.