Claire Marie Eckel

July 6, 1990 - April 14, 2019

Claire Marie Eckel, age 28, of Dassel, died Sunday, April 14, 2019, at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. A Celebration of Life will be held Friday, April 19, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. at First Apostolic Lutheran Church, Dassel with Mark Koivisto conducting the service. A time to gather with the family will be held Thursday evening from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the First Apostolic Lutheran Church. A one-hour gathering prior to the Celebration of Life on Friday morning. Johnson Funeral Home in Dassel handeling the service arrangements. Claire Marie (Salmen) Eckel, the daughter of Dale and Beverly (Roiko) Salmen was born on July 6, 1990, in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Claire was baptized and confirmed in the Apostolic Lutheran faith. She grew up in the Dassel Cokato area where she attended school and graduated from the Dassel Cokato High School in 2008. On June 28, 2014, Claire was united in marriage to Chase Eckel at Noonan’s Park in Alexandria. Together they made their home in Dassel where she loved being a mother and spending time with her husband and her three children. She was a talented painter, writer, and enjoyed reading and the outdoors. Her family was important to her and she was fond of the time they would get together for the holidays and special events. Claire was a social person and could often be found surrounded by her numerous friends and acquaintances. She was an advocate for social issues that she held dear. She loved music, especially playing a keyboard and singing with her husband, Chase. Claire will be missed by her family and her many friends. She is survived by her husband, Chase Eckel of Dassel, children, Fiona, Cove, and Silas Eckel, all of Dassel, parents, Dale and Beverly Salmen of Williston, North Dakota; Brad (Natalie) Salmen of Cokato, Darren (Allison) Salmen of Lyman, South Carolina; David Salmen of Golden Valley, Brett (Christine) Salmen of Dassel, Shane (Brittany) Salmen of Pepperell, Massachusetts; Krista (Mark) Kangas of Alexander, North Dakota; Kurt (Hannah) Salmen of Maple Plain, and Jocelyn (Mike) Lundeen of Alexander, North Dakota; her paternal grandmother, Elsie Salmen of Menahga, and her maternal grandmother, Lempi Roiko of Menahga. She is also survived by numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws and friends. She was preceded in death by her paternal grandfather, Rodney Salmen and her maternal grandfather, August Roiko.