Allen William “Ike” Eickstaedt

Allen William “Ike” Eickstaedt, aged 84, died peacefully on July 2nd, 2026 at his residence in Falls Church. He is survived by his sons, Aaron (Judith) Fulp-Eickstaedt of Falls Church, VA and Tim "Ike" (Wendy) Eickstaedt of Austin, TX, his granddaughters, Rebecca (Xander) Huynh and Martie, his great-granddaughter Hana, his nephew, Scott (Sue) Carlson, many other dear members of his extended family, and his dear companion Mary Reid.

Ike was preceded in death by his parents, Everett and Nynah (Pearce) Eickstaedt, his wife of 60 years Mary Alice (Carlson), his brother Earl, and his niece, Kathy White.

He was born in Chicago, Illinois on June 13, 1942 and grew up in Harvard, IL. After graduating from Harvard High School, Ike went to Northern Illinois University, where he received a B.S. in Education. He and Mary Alice were married on September 1, 1962.

After college, they moved to Norwalk, CT to be teachers. Ike taught industrial arts classes in the high school there until just before Aaron was born. He then entered the travel sales representative portion of his career, working for Northeast and Icelandic Airlines and Commodore Cruise Lines.

Tim was born after they moved to Winfield, IL in 1970. The family moved to The Woodlands, TX when Icelandic transferred him there in 1976.

In 1988 Ike started working as an estimator for an architectural woodworking firm in Knoxville, TN. He and Mary Alice lived there for 5 years before moving to Columbia, South Carolina in 1995, where he became the chief estimator for Southern Architectural Woodworking. He retired from that post.

After Mary Alice died, Ike moved to Falls Church in 2023 and became a vital part of the fabric of Chesterbrook Residences, including serving as the head of the Resident Council.

Known affectionately by his family as “The Wizard”, Ike was a repository of knowledge, both trivial and important. He loved baking, working with wood, and listening to music, especially John Prine songs and bluegrass. Ike was an ardent fan of the Chicago Cubs and the Green Bay Packers; a collector of hot sauces and tee-shirts; a beloved Bebop to his granddaughters; a fun Uncle Ike to his extended family; and a cherished mentor and friend to many.

Ike loved to sing, to laugh, and to hear or tell a good story or joke. His chuckle was infectious. Over his 44 years of sobriety in A.A., he impacted many lives with his commitment to his own and others’ spiritual growth and serenity through the Twelve Steps. He will always be with us, just now in a new way.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 15th 2026 with a reception to follow at Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 1125 Savile Lane, McLean, VA. In lieu of flowers, you are encouraged to make a donation to the charity or cause of your choice in Ike’s name.