GENE P. WILLIAMS (1921 - 2000)

WILLIAMS, WEBB, WESTBERG, URBEN, GOODBURN

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 5/12/2020 at 08:36:30

Gene P. Williams, 5901 N. Ditch Rd., died Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2000, at the Avera McKennan Hospice, Sioux Falls, S.D. Funeral services were held 1:30 p.m. Friday Oct 6, at Heritage Funeral Chapel, 4800 S. Minnesota, Sioux Falls, S.D. 57108. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery. Visitation was held Thursday.

He was born Jan.2, 1921, in Everly, the son of Charles and Lois Williams. He grew up in Everly helping his father on the family farm and attended country school. He graduated from Cherokee High School in 1945. During his tour of duty, he served in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and was involved in the Battle of the Bulge and the D-Day Invasion at Normandy Beach. Gene slept most of his nights in fox holes and in four years, he never got to sleep in a bed or come home. After his discharge he returned to Cherokee, where he managed the local skating rink where he met his wife.

He was united in marriage to Darlene Webb on May 1, 1949, in Cherokee. Gene worked for the Illinois Central Railroad from 1959 to 1975 as a conductor and switchman. He had a love for the land and spent his entire life farming, except during his time in the U.S. Army. In 1989, he started the Country View Golf Driving range in Sioux Falls and helped his son Mike start and operate the Renner Grain Co. He was a member of the Renner Veterans of Foreign Wars, helped coach softball for many years and loved to spend time with his family.

Grateful for having shared his life are: his wife, Darlene, Sioux Falls, a son Mike, Sioux Falls; two daughters, Linda Westberg and her husband Don; and Audrey Urben all of Sioux Falls; four granddaughters, Heather, Ashley, Renee and her husband, Colin and Cathy; two brothers, George and his wife Geraldine; and Irvin and his wife Opal; and one sister, Margie and her husband Jerry Goodburn, all of Cherokee.

Source: Former Cherokee County Historical Society Scrapbook. Obituary dated 4-10-2000.