Perry Eugene “Gene” Stewart, 102, of rural Wabash, Indiana, died Wednesday, April 27, 2022, at his daughter’s home in Arvada, Colorado. He was born on February 27, 1920, in Kokomo, Indiana, to Oliver Perry and Sylinda Mae (Barker) Stewart.
Gene was a 1938 graduate of Somerset High School. He married Geneva Ramer in Amboy, Indiana, on May 2, 1942; she died on November 12, 1983. He married Eleanor (Peggy) Frank in Somerset on January 17, 1987; she died on May 16, 2017.
Gene had many memories of growing up during the Depression: farming with horses; shucking corn by hand and taking it in the Model-T with his Dad to Stockdale Mill to have it ground into feed; living on homemade bread and potato soup with rivels. He farmed from the age of 19; worked 23 winters at General Tire; drove 20 years for Yellow Freight. He spent 33 of his 39 years of retirement wintering in Florida or Texas. Throughout his life he always prioritized an August vacation with family, traveling to National Parks throughout the West. He was a member of the Somerset Woodlawn United Methodist Church.
He is survived by two daughters, Jeanette Ballentine of Arvada, Colorado, and Susan Floor of Roann, Indiana; daughter-in-law Bonnie (Larry) Stewart; three grandchildren, Jessica (Patrick) Gallo, Paul Eugene (Lorena) Stewart, and Anne (Samuel) Soliman, all of Colorado; five great-grandchildren, Alexandra Gallo of Roann, Indiana, Nicholas Gallo, Andree Salazar-Velazquez, Lorena Stewart, Geneva Stewart, and Matthew Soliman, all of Colorado.
He is also survived by Peggy’s children, William “Wes” (Linda) Frank of Amboy, Indiana, Timothy (Karen) Frank of Monticello, Indiana, Sue (Jack Hertz) Frank of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Dr. Dawn (David Schneider) Frank of Delphi, Indiana, and her grandsons, Adam and Anthony.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Larry Eugene, both sons-in-law, and six sisters.
Funeral services will be at 3:00 pm, Thursday, May 5, 2022, at Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Service, 1241 Manchester Avenue, Wabash, with Pastor Ted Batson officiating. Burial will be in Peoria Cemetery, Peoria, Indiana. Friends may call 12-3 pm Thursday, at the funeral home.
Preferred memorial is Woodlawn United Methodist Church.
The memorial guest book for Gene may be signed at www.grandstaff-hentgen.com.