Reicks, Eugene Lloyd 1935 - 2018

REICKS, REINHARDT, FISHER, BULGAR, GOSSMAN, VRBA, PECINOVSKY, VACHTA, ROMMES

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/19/2024 at 21:00:45

U.S. Veteran
Eugene “Gene” Reicks, age 82 of Spillville, Iowa died on Saturday, June 23, 2018, at the Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah, IA.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 27, 2018 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Spillville, IA with Rev. Robert Gross presiding.

Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 26, 2018 at the church and also after 9:30 a.m. at the church on Wednesday morning. There will be a Knights of Columbus Rosary at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday evening.

Eugene Lloyd (Gene) Reicks was born Dec. 4, 1935, the son of Edward J. and Viola A. (Reinhardt) Reicks in Cresco, Iowa. He graduated from St. Joseph's Catholic School in Cresco. Gene enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1955. He took basic training at Parks Air Force Base, San Jose, Calif., then transferred to Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls, Texas, for aircraft and engine training. He was assigned to the 55th Air Refueling Squadron at Forbes Air Force Base, Topeka, Kan., where he received specialized training on the Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker refueling airplane. Gene served as Crew Chief on the KC-97 until November of 1958 with overseas duty at Harmen AFB in Newfoundland, Goose Bay AFB in Labrador, Thule AFB in Greenland, Yokota AFB in Japan, Hickman AFB in Hawaii and Elmendorf AFB in Alaska. After being released from active duty, Gene served in the United States Air Force Reserve until January 1963 when he was honorably discharged. On Sept. 9, 1961, Gene was united in marriage to Margaret M. (Peggy) Fisher at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Spillville. They became the parents of two children, Rodney Eugene and Darcy Renee, and grandparents to four children, Zachary Daniel, Julia Margaret, Jacob Matthew, and Elizabeth Jean. Gene was employed in the printing industry for 51 years. He worked at the Cresco Times Plain Dealer until 1969 when he transferred to Graphics Inc. in Calmar, Iowa. At Graphics, Gene was pressroom foreman and then plant manager until he retired in December 2000. Gene also owned and operated Ye Olde Printshoppe, a specialty printing company he ran as a hobby using antique letterpress and offset equipment. Dedicated to community service, Gene served on the St. Wenceslaus Church council, was a member of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, and was an active member of the American Legion Clarence Bily Post 467 in Spillville. In the Legion, Gene held the local positions of Chaplain, Vice Commander & Treasurer, and Adjutant. At the district level, he served as Vice Commander, Sergeant-at-Arms, Chaplain, District Historian and District Commander, and at the state level he was elected Historian, Department Vice Commander, and State Department Vice Chairman of Community Service. Additionally, he served as city clerk and city councilman in Spillville. Gene enjoyed spending time with his family and grandchildren, traveling, visiting area casinos, and attending the annual EAA AirVenture air show in Oshkosh, Wis.

Gene is survived by his wife, Peggy Reicks, Spillville; children, Rodney (Lisa) Reicks, Rochester, Minn., and Darcy (Daniel) Bulger, Kasson, Minn.; grandchildren, Zachary Bulger and Jacob Bulger, Kasson, and Julia Reicks and Elizabeth Reicks, Rochester; sisters, Joan (Jim) Fisher, Spillville, and Sharon (Carroll) Gossman, Canton, Minn.; brother, Keith (Naydene) Reicks, Ridgeway, Iowa; brother-in-law Jim (Joan) Fisher, Spillville; sisters-in-law, Dorothy Vrba, Protivin, Iowa, and Dolores Pecinovsky, Protivin; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Viola (Reinhardt) Reicks; his father- and mother-in-law, Arthur W. and Mary B. (Vachta) Fisher; brothers and sisters-in-law, Robert and Grace Reicks, and Donald and Cheryl Reicks; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Mildred and Joseph Pecinovsky, and Elaine and Myles Rommes; and brothers-in-law, Ralph Pecinovsky, and Alton Vrba.

Source: Schluter - Balik Funeral Home database

St. Wenceslaus Cemetery
 

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