Aaron Thomas Eckel, 92, of Blossvale, NY passed away peacefully at his home with his family by his side on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. Born on December 28, 1933, in Vienna, NY, he was a son of the late Verne Eckel and Margaret Cook Eckel. Aaron began his education in a small one-room school in Fish Creek Landing and graduated from Camden High School in 1950, at the age of 16. He was united in marriage to Lila Jane Keshler on March 25, 1959, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Rome, NY. In their marriage of 67 years, together they shared a beautiful life and raised four children.

Aaron owned and operated the family farm (established 1864), now called Eckeldale Farm, with his brother Jim for nearly 70 years, and was a proud member of the Holstein-Friesian Association of America, the Oneida County Farm Bureau, the Oneida County Cooperative Extension, the FFA, and the New York Holstein Association, which awarded him a legacy membership in recognition of over 60 years of service. Dairy farming was a very important part of his life, and he took pride in his land, his Holsteins, his expertise, and his many years of hard work and experience. Community, too, was important to him: well-known and loved throughout the community, he was a charter member of Vienna Fire Dept. (established 1950), a member of the Vienna United Methodist Church, and a fan of Syracuse University Basketball.

Aaron had a lifelong love of learning, and never lost interest in keeping up-to-date on the latest farming news, but his interests also extended well beyond farming. In 2020, he wrote “The Cook Road: Town of Vienna, Farms of the Cook Family,” and with his friend Robert Abrams, he also compiled several history books: “The History of Cheese Factories In The Townships of Florence, Camden, Annsville, Vienna, Verona, and Westmoreland” (2011), “History of Canning Factories in Eight Townships of Oneida County, New York” (2012), “The Meander Belt of Fish Creek” (2014), and “Fish Creek: An Illustrated History of Fish Creek from its Origin in the Counties of Oswego, Lewis, and Oneida, NY until its Termination in Oneida Lake” (2016). He loved to read, especially historical nonfiction, and was always a talented writer; as a young man he won a Cooperative Grange League Federation essay contest on the use of lime in agriculture, which awarded him and Lila a trip to Hawaii. He was particularly interested in local history and genealogy, collecting things like historical farm signs, milk bottles, and antiques from old local businesses. He was a dedicated keeper of scrapbooks, acting as a community and family archivist with a large collection of photo albums full of pictures and newspaper clippings that he diligently compiled throughout the later years of his life.

Aaron also had a deep love for people, and loved nothing more than a get-together. He cherished coffee breaks, reunions, and games of pitch with his family, catching up with his siblings and old friends while out running farm errands, and meeting new people.

Each winter for much of his life, he and Lila would travel south to spend several weeks at their second home in Palm Bay, Florida, a place Aaron loved deeply. He had a profound appreciation for the little details of life, and loved the land and the people he spent his life with, meeting each of his 92 years with curiosity, kindness, humor, understatement, and practicality. He was a loving husband, a dedicated father, and a cherished grandfather, and he will be missed.

Aaron is survived by his wife Lila Eckel; sons Craig (Randi) Eckel and Andrew Eckel; daughters Barbara (Thomas) DeMichele and Linda (Daniel) Mendelson; grandchildren Isaac Eckel, Katrina Eckel, Lianna Mendelson, and Megan (Will) Trickey; sister Ethel Palmer. He was predeceased by his sisters Lorna Cable, Verna Hart, and Julia Gafner; brother James Eckel; and son in law Thomas DeMichele.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice and Palliative care of New Hartford 4277 Middle Settlement Rd, New Hartford, NY 13413

Calling hours will be held Friday July 17, 2026, from 3:00-6:00 PM at Strong-Burns & Sprock Funeral Home, 7751 Merrick Rd. Rome, NY. A graveside service will be held Saturday July 18, 2026, at 11:00 AM at the Fish Creek Landing Cemetery on Cook Rd. in Vienna, NY.