Eugene Glenn 'Gene' Koons

Eugene Glenn 'Gene' Koons

July 31, 1928 - Aug. 9 2013

ATWOOD, Kansas -- Eugene Glenn "Gene" Koons was born July 31, 1928, on a farm seven miles south of Watkins County. He died Aug. 9, 2013, at Rawlins County Medical Center in Atwood, Kansas, at the age of 85.

Gene was the third of four children born to Harry and Mona Hamilton Koons. At a young age, his family moved to Lakewood, Colorado. He attended Washington Heights Elementery and graduated from Lakewood High School. As a young teenager, during summer breaks, he worked for Fred Winslet of Meeker Company, Ffrst as a camp tender then as a sheepherder. He continued this summer job until his senior year of school, when he joined the Marines. He was proud of the fact that he was one of the original crew of the aircraft carrier USS Valley Forge and received a certificate of ownership of a ceremonial plank awarded to the original crew. He was honorably discharged in 1947. While working at a Denver lumberyard, he met and was offered a job by Eddie Antholz of McDonald, Kansas. This led to meeting Eddie's sister-in-law, Blanche McKain. They were married Aug. 31, 1950, at St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Lakewood, Colorado. Their son, Roy, was born Nov. 17 1951 . In 1953, Gene was seriously injured when a motor- driven grinding wheel flew apart and struck the side of his face. After months of recovery, he started working for Colorado Builders Supply. In 1960, while unloading rolls of reinforcing wire with a forklift, a roll fell and hit him on the head. After this accident, he had three back surgeries and in 1975, he was told by his doctors because of his neck and back injuries, his health would not allow him to continue working. He was forced to give up his job as a label operator at Coors Brewery. These injuries seriously affected the rest of his life. In 1976, the opportunity came to move back to Kansas not far from Blanche's family farm. In 1989, upon the death of Blanche's father, they moved to the farm homesteaded by her grandfather. Due to his limited mobility, he was unable to visit his brothers or sister or their families but enjoyed their visits to Kansas. The coffee pot was always on and he always enjoyed it when neighbors stopped for a visit. Despite his health problems and constant pain, he was always joking and teasing and expected it in return. After a fourth back surgery failed to ease his back pain, and after a life of knowing hard work, the only thing that gave him satisfaction in being able to do something useful was taking care of the chickens with the aid of his trusty four-wheeler.

He is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Harold; sister, Maxine; sister-in-law, Shirley; niece, Michele and nephew, Harry.

He is survived by Blanche, his wife of nearly 63 years; son, Roy; brother, Harry of San Diego, California; sister-in-law, Pat of Ketchikan, Alaska; brother-in-law, Jack Larue of Sutherland, Nebraska; nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors to morn his passing. He was buried in Immaculate Conception Cemetery in rural Atwood, Kansas.