MEYER, Eugene C. "Gene" 1923 - 2005

MEYER, HENKES, MALLORY, YOUNT, BERNHARD, ELVER

Posted By: Connie L. Ellis (email)
Date: 5/20/2018 at 21:14:06

SOURCE: THE OUTLOOK, Monona, Iowa newspaper, Wednesday June 8, 2005 Page 6A
Contributor: Connie Ellis (Not related)

Eugene Carlton "Gene" Meyer of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin died on Thursday, May 12, 2005 at the age of 81 years old. Funeral services were held at the First United Methodist Church in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin and burial was in the Fort Atkinson Evergreen Cemetery.

Eugene Carlton Meyer was born to Gilbert and Christine (Henkes) Meyer on December 10, 1923 on a Guernsey dairy farm in Giard Township, Giard, Iowa. Gene was united in marriage with Maxine Mallory in Hampton, Iowa on June 1, 1947.

As a youth, Gene was active in 4-H and FFA, showing registered Guernseys. He was a member of Iowa's winning 4-H dairy cattle judging team that competed at the National Dairy Show at the San Francisco World's Fair in 1939. While he was a student at Iowa State College, he became a member of the Iowa State dairy cattle judging team that won the 1942 national judging contest. He was a high individual in that contest.

Gene's college education was interrupted by World War II when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He served as a navigator on a B-24 bomber in the 15th Air Force. He participated in bombing missions in the European Theater. Gene completed his education at Iowa State College in Ames, Iowa after the war and went to work in the farm news department for WHO Radio in Des Moines, Iowa. In 1948 he and his wife, Maxine, moved to Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin where he joined the editorial staff of Hoard's Dairyman. Gene was managing editor from 1972 until retiring in 1988.

Until his death, he guided the magazine's annual cow judging contest which celebrated its 75th anniversary this year (2005). That contest has received 5.3 million entries from 82 countries. For twenty-five years Gene served as the official judge of the national dairy cattle judging contest. The award bestowed on the nation's top collegiate judge bears his name. His many awards and recognitions include the National FFA Distinguished Service Award, the Iowa State 4-H Alumni Award, and the University of Wisconsin's Award of Distinction for Meritorious Service in Agriculture and Rural Life.

Eugene is survived by his wife of almost 58 years, Maxine; two sons Bruce (Connie) Meyer of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin and John (Vicki) of Brattleboro, Vermont; a daughter Mary Lynn (Jeff) Elver of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin; four grandchildren; and a sister-in-law Helen Meyer of Monona, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother William G. "Bill" Meyer; a sister Margie Yount; a sister-in-law Ruth (Bernhard) Meyer, and a brother-in-law Don Yount.