Obituaries : Gene L. Davis

VINTON:

Gene L. Davis, age 87, died Sunday, May 24, 2015 at Virginia Gay Nursing and Rehab in Vinton.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M., Thursday, May 28, 2015 at Wesley United Methodist Church with Rev. Dr. Judith Bunyi officiating. Military Rites will be accorded at the Church following the service. Private interment will be held at a later date. Friends may call from 9:30 A.M. until service time at the Church on Thursday. Phillips Funeral Home, Vinton is in charge of arrangements.

Gene was born on November 18, 1927 near Clemons, IA, the first born son of Lloyd and Hazel (Kirk) Davis. He took his vows of dedication at the age of 13 at the Bangor Friends Church. Gene’s elementary and secondary education occurred at Clemons Consolidated School, culminating in graduation from High School in 1945. Shortly after high school, Gene was called to serve his Country. He joined the U.S. Navy, serving in the Pacific Theater on the U.S. Gendreau, destroyer escort, being honorably discharged in 1947.

He was united in marriage to Helen Prochaska on February 14, 1948 in Villisca, IA. Helen preceded Gene in death in 1987. On June 25, 1988, he was united in marriage to Frieda Walther at St. John United Church of Christ in rural Nashua, IA.

Gene worked as the Power Technology instructor at Hawkeye Institute of Technology (now Hawkeye Community College) in Waterloo for 18 years. He held many positions in the faculty association and authored a text book, “Ag and Automotive Diesel Mechanics” for the Prentice Hall Publishing Co. He had 14 years of Civil Service work, mostly with the U.S. Soil Conservation Service and also worked as an earth moving contractor, farmer and over the road truck fleet manager. His General Technology degree (1985) was earned through classes at ISU, UNI and many industrial courses at schools all over the Midwest and East coast.

He served as a hospital chaplain at St. Luke’s and Virginia Gay after completing Pastoral Care Orientation courses at St. Luke’s. He was also President of Hospice of Benton County and Chaplain for Benton County Hospice, Mercy and St. Luke’s Hospice. Gene was an elder in his Church, a choir member for many years and also taught Sunday school. He was a lifetime member of the AMVETS, VFW and the George G. Luckey American Legion Post #57. He was also a member of the SAPIC and did mission work, serving three months in Pakistan and one month in Mexico.

He is survived by his wife Frieda of Vinton; their children, Debora Cecrle of Hastings, NE, Denis (Tracy) Davis of Medford, OR, David (Gina) Davis of Tulsa, OK, Sonja (David) Monskey of Minnetonka, MN, and Wendee (Michael) McCoy of Cottage Grove, MN; seven grandchildren, Jay (Tamara) Cecrle, Jamie (Jon) Jacobi, Benjamin and Melissa Davis, Genevieve Hutchens, Alec and Kevin McCoy; four great grandchildren, Katlyn, Genna and Claire Cecrle and Juliana Jacobi; and his brother, Donald (Shirley) Davis of Clemons, IA.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Doris Charlier.

On-line condolences may be left at www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com