Lila Jeanne Eichelberger was born and raised in rural Mason County. The only child of Lloyd M. and Margarette E. Sullivan Athey. She married the late Paul A. Eichelberger in 1951. Eichelberger earned her B.S. and M.S. in Home Economics Education at the University of Illinois. An 11-year 4-H member, she lived at 4-H House in college. In 2001, she was honored with the Fred H. Turner Outstanding Panhellenic Alumnae Award and the University of Illinois Alumni Association Exceptional Service Award. Lila Jeanne spent her entire 40-year career as a high school vocational educator. She was named the Illinois Home Economics Teacher of the Year in 1974.
Through her service and philanthropy, Lila Jeanne positively impacts the development of youth. She has made financial gifts to the University of Illinois (U of I), Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, and Illinois 4-H continuously for over 50 years. In addition to college scholarships for 4-Hers, she has established an endowment in memory of her mother to support adult volunteer leader development. As a strong proponent of the camp experience, she funded two cabins at 4-H Memorial Camp in memory of her mother and husband, and will fund a new arts and crafts facility at the camp. Also at the U of I, she provided financial support in 1998 to build Eichelberger Softball Field, illustrating her interest in the development of young people in all facets of their lives.
