Tyler Micah Eckel

Tyler Micah Eckel, age 38 of Defiance, OH, succumbed to a two-decade battle with the anguish of mental illness, on Wednesday, June 15, 2022.

 
Tyler was born to Mark and Robin Eckel on July 14, 1983 in Goshen, IN. Throughout his life he lived in Bismarck, ND, Adrian, MI, Wheaton, IL, Ashville, NC, Fishers, IN, and Defiance, OH. He was a 2002 graduate of Wheaton North High School, attended College of DuPage and later graduated from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. 

Tyler was an artist, chiefly of poems and letters. His legacy is a love for family, friends, farming, literature, poetry and letter writing. His sweetness and gentleness were felt by all who had the benefit of knowing him. Tyler’s gift of keen observation was used to uplift those around him with kind words and acts. His dogs and cats experienced a love they could never have found elsewhere. Tyler was a beautiful soul who suffered under the duress of paranoid schizophrenia. The intruding voices in his head would not let him rest. 

 
Mourning Tyler’s death with inexpressible grief are his parents, Mark and Robin of Fishers, IN, his sister and brother-in-law, Chelsea and Sam, and his nieces and nephews, Marilyn, Isaiah, Joanna, and Benjamin of Defiance, OH, (whom he doted on) along with his grandmother, Virginia Eckel of Littleton, CO. He was deeply loved by his uncles, aunts and cousins (Larry and Jan Renoe, cousins: Ethan and Luke; Bob and Cheryl Ewing, cousins: Sara, Linzy, and Jamie). His friends Daniel and Adam were as brothers, and he loved and was loved by so many others. We will all miss Tyler, terribly. 

As a boy Tyler knew Jesus loved him and he loved Jesus, and as a man he fought to keep believing. His family clings to hope in Jesus, who “is able to sympathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15) and promises “he who comes to me I will never cast out” (John 6:37). 

In lieu of flowers please send memorial donations to International Justice Mission (ww.ijm.org) or the Fort Defiance Humane Society (fortdefiancehumanesociety.org).

A private burial will be held on Monday, June 20, 2022 at Riverview Memory Gardens in Defiance.

A public Memorial Service will be held on Monday, June 27, 2022 at 4:00 PM at the Stroede Center for the Arts (319 Wayne Ave. Defiance, OH) All are welcome after the Memorial Service to the backyard of Sam and Chelsea Andres to honor Tyler by sharing a meal and memories. Please come to 808 South Clinton Street-Defiance. * Please park along the street or in the back stone lot (not the driveway).

Schaffer Funeral Home in Defiance was honored to assist the family with arrangements. 

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