Eugene M. Sire (1918-2011)

SIRE, SMITH, MILLS, HESTER, EICKMANN, JOHNSON, FISHER

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 6/22/2011 at 18:44:36

Madrid Register News, March 17, 2011

Eugene M. Sire, 92, passed from this life on Thursday, March 10, 2011, at the Madrid Home in Madrid, following a lengthy illness. Memorial services were held at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 12, at the Sanborn Memorial Chapel in the Madrid Home. Interment take place at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 15, at Resthaven Gardens of Memory in Wichita, KS.

Eugene was born the son of Paul Louse Eugine and Ethel Pearl (Smith) Sire on June 17, 1918 in Inman, NE. He was a 1936 graduate of Inman High School, in Inman. Eugene received his BS degree in Pharmacy from the University of Nebraska, in Lincoln. He was united in marriage to Lucille M. Mills on November 20, 1943.

During World War II, Eugene served as an artillery forward observer in Europe and continued his service to his country as a member of the Army Reserves for over 20 years. Following his service in World Ward II, Eugene returned to Grand Island, NE, where he took up practice as a pharmacist. Later Eugene and Lucille moved to Wichita, KS, where they made their home for 47 years, and where Eugene continued his practice as a pharmacist in several Wichita pharmacies. In December of 1997, after retirement and failing in health, Eugene and Lucille moved to Ballard Creek Community Assisted Living in Huxley, IA. Later in August of 2007, with further declining health, Eugene transferred to the Madrid Home in Madrid, where he remained until his death.

Eugene was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Wichita, transferred his membership to Trinity Methodist Church and later attended the Fjeldberg Lutheran Church, both in Huxley.

Eugene was an accomplished amateur photographer and he and his wife were charter members of the Wichita Amateur Camera Club. He was also a founding member of Wichita International Exhibition of Photography. Other long-time interests were woodworking and leather tooling.

Left to mourn his death are his four nephews, James (Marjorie) Sire of Downers Grove, IL, Robert (Sharon) Hester of Lincoln, NE, Larry (Karen) Eickmann of Cedar Rapids, IA and Gary (Karen) Mills also of Lincoln; two nieces, Marjorie (Richard) Johnson of Sheldahl, IA and Helen (Philip) Fisher of Evansville, IN; and a host of many great-nieces and great-nephews and great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews. Eugene was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Lucille; brother, Walter and his wife, Elsie; and sister, Genevieve Hester and her husband, Milton.

Memorial contributions may be made to either Ballard Creek Community Assisted Living in Huxley or the Madrid Home in Madrid.