OCONOMOWOC, Wis. — A beloved church volunteer known for his warm hugs and dedication to service has died after being struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run crash in Oconomowoc.
Allan 'Al' Eighmy, 87, was riding his tractor home on Monday after mowing the grass at Dr. Martin Luther Church when he was hit by a driver who fled the scene. Eighmy's family informed TMJ4 on Wednesday that he had succumbed to his injuries.
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"As much as we knew it was coming, we didn't want it to come," said Clare Sedlacek, Pastor at Dr. Martin Luther Church.
Watch: Oconomowoc church mourns loss of dedicated volunteer that died from hit-and-run
The community is now grappling with the loss of a man who many will dearly miss at their congregation. Those who knew him best talked about the lasting impact he made on everyone around him.
"He always gave girls a hug, or they did. He always gave guys a hug too. So very friendly fella," said Dan Zautner, a friend of Eighmy.
Zautner knew Eighmy both in and out of the church like through the Ixonia Lion's Club.
"Very nice guy," said Zautner. "He'd give you the shirt off his back. I'm sure he has to several people."
Pastor Sedlacek shared that her final interaction with Eighmy now holds special significance.
"I certainly didn't imagine when he told me on Sunday, when he walked out for me to say goodbye to him, and he said, 'I need my hug,' and I'm like, 'You got it.' Didn't think that was going to be the last time that was going to happen," Sedlacek said.
Eighmy was one of the longest-tenured churchgoers at Dr. Martin Luther Church, according to Pastor Sedlacek. His commitment to service extended beyond just maintaining the grounds.
"His big thing was, 'What can I do for you, Pastor, what do you need? What do you need help with? What can I do? Is there something that you need? Is there something that you'd like?' He was offering that almost from the very first day that I was here," Sedlacek said.
His contributions to the church were numerous, from mowing the grass to advocating for technological improvements.
"He's touched his hand on many things," Sedlacek said. "He was one of those people that was pushing you to, what can we do to make this church more open and available."
During Wednesday night's service, Pastor Sedlacek honored Eighmy in her sermon and encouraged others to honor his memory.
"He'll be dearly missed," Zautner said.
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Police continue to search for the driver involved in the hit-and-run. They're looking for a black SUV, possibly a Volvo, which should have significant front-end damage from the collision. They are asking residents on and near Allen Road to check surveillance footage from around 12:56 p.m. Monday.
According to authorities, there were no witnesses to the crash.
Anyone with information should contact Waukesha County Communications at 262-446-5070.
This story was reported by Mike Beiermeister and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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