Longtime Sheboygan Press community editor Mary Louise Eckardt, 74, of Eau Claire, died on May 12.

Born to Alvina and Donald H. Eckardt on April 6, 1950, in Sheboygan, her passion for journalism bloomed during her years at North High School, where she served as editor of the school’s yearbook.

She went on to earn a degree in journalism from UW-Madison in 1972, before joining the Merrill Daily Herald as a reporter. From there, she worked at the (Rochester, Minn.) Post-Bulletin and, by 1976, she’d returned to her hometown to work at the Sheboygan Press as community editor — a role she held for the next 30 years.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.