Before he passed away on June 7, Greg Eikel was a big supporter of the Bikes, Wings and Warriors event in Montgomery City.

On June 21 – exactly two weeks after Eikel’s death – event organizers honored the late Montgomery City resident during a brief ceremony at the 11th annual event, which was held at VFW Post 4436. A plaque was given to Eikel’s partner, Liz Thorpe, by VFW Post 4436 Commander Kayla Gastler.

“They’ve been great,” Thorpe said. “They’ve been awesome. I thank them so much for honoring him and recognizing him. It makes me feel really good about that.”

Also, Eikel’s motorcycles were on display next to Papa B’s Wing Shack. Eikel was a motorcycle enthusiast.

“He’s been doing motorcycles all of his life,” Thorpe said. “He was born and bred into it. He loved it. It was his passion.”

For many hours under hot and humid conditions, Bikes, Wings and Warriors held a wing cookoff and bike show and served plenty of food such as wings, funnel cakes and kettle corn. Proceeds of the event go to VFW Post 4436 to help local veterans.

Cole Jones won the cookoff. At the bike show, awards were given out for best-in-show and the custom, metric, American Iron and antique categories.

Bikes, Wings and Warriors began in 2014 and was held every year since 2020, when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the VFW’s biggest fundraiser that helps with other events it does throughout the year.

Gastler said Eikel was a major contributor to Bikes, Wings and Warriors.

“Greg Eikel has been here for Bikes, Wings and Warriors since the beginning, back when it was over by Dry Dock (Bar and Grill),” Gastler said. “He and Liz always helped us set up and tear down for the event.”

Eikel graduated from Montgomery County High School in 1988. He worked as a self-employed carpenter.

Thorpe said she and daughter Megan Eikel, who graduated from MCHS in May, have been getting plenty of support from the community since Greg Eikel’s passing.

“Everybody has been amazing,” Thorpe said. “We’ve been feeling the love and it’s really important right now for us to feel that. It fills my heart to know all of you loved him and it shows.”

Eikel and Thorpe met in 2015. Thorpe said Eikel helped her get interested in motorcycles.

“I started riding with him,” Thorpe said. “I started on the back and then he taught me how to ride my own. Then, after that, we were riding side by side for the past six years.”

Thorpe said her partner was more than just a fan of motorcycles.

“He did paint jobs and he did all kinds of things,” she said. “He can build anything. He can make anything. He did it well and did it with his heart. He’s just always amazing to everybody and was checking on people constantly to make sure everybody’s OK. He always wanted to make a point to make sure his people were OK.”