Neil Eckles ’62

Neil Eckles ’62, who was instrumental in bringing Cornell into the information age in the 1990s by sponsoring in-kind trenching to connect fiber-optic cables to buildings throughout campus, died Feb. 26, 2023, in Blue Earth, Minnesota.

Eckles provided quiet leadership and service on Cornell’s Board of Trustees from 1992 to 2011, and as a Life Trustee from 2012 until his death.

At Cornell Eckles was a member of the Gamma Tau Pi fraternity, played in the band, and ran track and cross country. He majored in politics and economics and business, but also valued art and music appreciation courses, once saying, “The single most important thing I gained from my Cornell experience is how to experience life in its fullest sense.” 

He attended Cornell from 1957–1962 and holds a B.A. from Mankato State University. After serving in the Marine Corps for three years, he returned to his hometown of Blue Earth, Minnesota, where he was a community-minded leader and entrepreneur. He worked in the family business, eventually rising to chair of the board for Blue Earth Valley Communications. 

Eckles and his wife, Susan, were loyal annual contributors to Cornell for more than 50 years. 

Eckles’ father, Eldon Eckles ’30, and previous generations of the Eckles family attended Cornell as far back as the 1860s, beginning with his great-grandmother Elvira Powers. She enrolled following the Civil War and was said to have been the housekeeper or secretary to President William Fletcher King.

He is survived by his wife, Susan, son Bill (Karrie), two grandchildren, and a sister.