Eric Matthew Stout

Eric Matthew Stout

Brighton

Eric Matthew Stout, 65, of Brighton, IA, passed away peacefully on April 16, 2024, while sitting down for a break at home.

Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m. Saturday, April 20, 2024, at the Washington Mennonite Church with Pastor Nick Stoddard officiating. Calling hours will begin 3:00 p.m. Friday at the Jones & Eden Funeral Home where the family will be present to receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Interment will take place at the Sandy Hook Cemetery in rural Brighton, Iowa. A general memorial has been established. Online condolences may be sent for Eric’s family at www.jonesfh.com.

Eric was born November 3, 1958, in Washington, Iowa, to Richard and Jo Ann (Smith) Stout, second of seven children. He graduated from Washington High School, attended Hesston College and started farming his family ground north of Brighton. He was united in marriage to Karla Atkinson on November 4, 1979. Together they raised five children.

Eric was a born farmer, raising crops, cattle, and hogs. He was a hard worker who enjoyed collecting old iron. Eric enjoyed photographing his equipment, reading collections of tractor manuals, and checking the field tile put in by his grandparents and great-grandparents. Eric spent his final days at peace tooling around at the farm and helping his children, Rachel and Vincent, get a start on planting their 2024 field crop at Edgar & Irene’s farm.

Eric worked for a handful of area ag companies. The guy never liked to sit down if the sun was shining. Eric loved taking pictures on his phone to share with everyone he knew, including new and old friends on social media. At family gatherings it was a normal sight for Eric to go from person to person clicking through picture galleries of tractor finds and field views. He was always around to lend a helping hand or tell his stories. Eric’s last selfless act was being an organ and tissue donor to assist other people in need.

The last two decades Eric found a new love – his grandchildren. Carpet farming, custom toys, and teaching Papa’s shadows how to start and drive old tractors. He will forever be remembered as riding around on his Fergie, John Deere and AC tractors.

Eric is survived by his wife, Karla, five children, Rachel Fishback (Madison Kay, RyLee Jean, Clayton Stout and Tessa Marie Fishback) of Washington, IA; Vincent and Jennifer (Lexi Jade and Jackson Teric) of McCordsville, IN; Ashley Stout of Brighton, IA; Megan Stout of West Des Moines, IA; and Marissa Stout of West Des Moines, IA. His parents, Richard and Jo Ann (Smith) Stout of rural Washington, IA; siblings Mark Stout of Youngstown, AZ; Anne (Marlin) Schmidt of Ulysses, KS; Carol (Bob) Ross of Green River, WY; Karen (Jim) Unruh, Clay Center, KS; Kathy (Larry) Gugel of Wayland, IA; Sara Uelze, North Liberty, IA. Sibling in-laws - Randy Sexton (Laurie) of Riverside, IA; Deb (Jim) Seward of Wellman, IA; Mark (Diane) Atkinson of Wellman, IA. He is also survived by several aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces and great-nephews and -nieces. Eric is preceded in death by his grandparents, Edgar and Irene (Wagner) Stout, Merle and Martha (Hendrickson) Smith, parents-in-law Donald and Sandra (Farley) Atkinson, sister-in-law Lorilynn (Atkinson) Sexton, uncle Merlin Crawford, uncle Paul Charter and aunt Virginia Smith.