Eugene Joseph Pelchat Sr 1926 - 2018

MENARD, PELCHAT, ODELL, BROUSARD

Posted By: Connie Swearingen -Volunteer (email)
Date: 8/19/2018 at 17:26:24

Sioux City Journal
22 May 2018

Sioux City

Eugene Joseph Pelchat Sr., 91, of Sioux City, passed away Sunday, May 20, 2018, at a local care facility after a brief illness.

Memorial services will be 1 p.m. Wednesday at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel. The Rev. Liz Tucker will officiate. Refreshments and fellowship with the family will follow the service at the funeral home. Burial will be at a later date in Memorial Park Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Gene was born on Oct. 30, 1926, in West Springfield, Mass., the son of Phillias and Edna (Menard) Pelchat. Gene was raised by his foster parents, Chester and Stella Main. He attended Amherst (Mass.) High School before joining the U.S. Navy at the age of 17 in December 1943. He served in the South Pacific Theatre on a minesweeper. He was discharged in 1946.

In April 1946, Gene married Betty Jean O'Dell. To this union, four children were born. In April 1973, Gene married Barbara (Brousard) Peterson.

Gene was a partner at Fethke Cleaners in Sioux City in the 1950s. He sold insurance for Banker's Life and Casualty in the 1960s. He also was an installation engineer for Saxe Freeman in Omaha in the late 1960s. In 1969, Gene joined St. Joseph Hospital in Sioux City as institutional services director and was instrumental in the merger of St. Joseph and St. Vincent Hospitals. He retired from the then-called Marian Health Center in 1988. From there he became a consultant for Sioux Laundry until his full retirement.

Gene enjoyed spending time with his wife, Barbara, family and friends. He loved playing cards, his trips to Vegas and telling some pretty interesting stories. Gene had a deep faith in the Lord.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara of Sioux City; his son, William "Bill" Pelchat (Jeannie) of Sioux City, two daughters, Barbara Hudelson (Bob) of Burbank, S.D., and Debra Vortherms (Denny) of Le Mars, Iowa; stepson, Walt Peterson (Lynne) of Sioux City; a stepdaughter, Laurie Richer (Mick) of Sioux City; 16 grandchildren; four stepgrandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents; and his son, Eugene J. Pelchat Jr.

The family would like to sincerely thank Hospice of Siouxland for their remarkable caring assistance during Gene's final days and they would like to thank the staff at Westwood Nursing and Rehab Center for their help in ensuring Gene's comfort while he was a patient there.

Memorials may be directed to Hospice of Siouxland.