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Young artist dedicates painting in
memory of longtime church member and volunteer
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Laura Ann Chalupa, second
from left, recently presented her painting of the Monroe United
Methodist Church to the church and the family of the late R.
Thomas Eikhof in memory of his work for the church and
community. From left to right at the dedication, are Tom Eikhof
Jr., Laura Chalupa, Jean Eikhof and Kathy Phillips Eikhof. The
painting will be displayed in the R. Thomas Eikhof Educational
Building.
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Monroe - Laura Ann Chalupa, a sophomore at
Monroe-Woodbury High School, recently dedicated her oil painting of
the Monroe United Methodist Church in memory of R. Thomas Eikhof.
Eikhof, who passed away Jan. 30, 2011, at the age of 90, was a
longtime member of the church. He served on many committees and
commissions, including as a trustee for the Hudson West District of
the New York Annual Conference of the Methodist Church.
In the 1960s, the members of the church
recognized the need for more space for a growing congregation. Under
Eikhof’s supervision, he and his good friends, Johnny Heins, Dick
Mainey, Joey Knape, Bill Dise as well as others, spent almost every
weekend, and any free evening they could, constructing a new
education building.
When construction was completed in 1966, the church community made
the decision to name the building the R. Thomas Eikhof Education
Building as a way to honor his spirit of volunteerism, leadership
and hard work.
The Educational
Building has been home to community mission programs and church
family programs such as Nora’s Hope Chest Thrift Store, AA, Monroe
Food Pantry, Crop Walk, Girl Scouts, to name a few. For more than 20
years, it also has been the home of the Creative Christian
Preschool.
Now 15, Chalupa has been painting since the age of 10 under the
instruction of Joan Keefer. She has painted in oil her family house,
and also the John C. DeAngelis Town Hall, in memory of her
grandfather.
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| Laura Chalupa painted the
John C. DeAngelis Town Hall in Monroe in memory of her
grandfather.
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This is Laura Chalupa’s painting of her
family house. |
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