Reba Allen Eichelberger Obituary

Reba Allen (Donatto) Eichelberger, 89 of Baytown, Texas was born on October 22, 1932, in Daisetta, Texas to Alica and Bernadine (LaChapelle) Donatto and passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, March 6, 2022. Reba was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who always stood strong for her family. As a young girl growing up on a farm during the Depression with six siblings, she was forced to drop out of high school to help support her Mom and Papa. They moved from Louisiana to Texas where she attended Catholic school in San Antonio and later went to work at the telephone company with her sister. She met and married her first husband, Rocky while he was in the military. They traveled from Texas to France, Oklahoma, Germany, and Montana before returning to Texas where she worked as a secretary for Bobcat in San Antonio. She then moved to Sherman, Texas where she earned her nursing degree. After many years of nursing she returned to school to earn her Masters in Hospital Administration. Upon earning her Masters she did her internship at a hospital in Beaumont, Texas before being relocated to Southmore Hospital in Pasadena, Texas. She met and married the love of her life, Dr. Philip T. Eichelberger, Jr. and they have been married for over 40 years.
In her late 40's she enrolled at South Texas College of Law where she maintained a 4.0 grade point average and successfully passed the state bar to become an attorney. Reba was a passionate attorney and strong advocate for her clients but her most rewarding experience was work working with Child Protective Services as attorney ad litem representing children in the system. Many times she searched out relatives to help place them in a safe home environment whenever possible. She practiced law until the age of 87 when she had to step down due to an injury. She was the most caring and nurturing person who only wanted the very best for others. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Philip T. Eichelberger, Jr.; sons, Randy Koenig and wife, Vickie; Richard Koenig; Dan Koenig and wife, Velvet and Philip Eichelberger. She was blessed with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her sister, Mary Jane Brigham of San Antonio. Reba is preceded in death by her parents; her four brothers, Tony Donatto, Atean Donatto, Joe Donatto, twin brother Raymond Donatto, and her sister Ida Founteno.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00pm, Friday, March 11, 2022, at Grand View Funeral Home with visitation starting at 1:00pm. Burial will follow at Grand View Memorial Park and Bethany Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be Kade Koenig, Shane Koenig, Alex Spencer, Earl Pickering, David Brigham, and Dustin Vyoral with Parker Koenig serving as an honorary pallbearer.