Gene Franklin Elliott

Gene Franklin Elliott was born in Portland Oregon on December 17th, 1928, the only child of Myrtle Laura and Chester Franklin Elliott. He graduated from Franklin High School in 1947 and began working as a plasterer with his Dad and as a member of the Oregon State National Guard from 1947 to 1949.

Gene enlisted in the United States Marine Corp on November 10th, 1949. During the Korean War he was involved in combat operations such as against the North Korean forces at the Inchon Landing and the Capture and Securing of Seoul, Korea. Due to his actions during the war Dad received: the Purple Heart, the Presidential Unit Citation and a number of other medals.

Gene was Honorably Discharged in Seattle, Washington on March 10th, 1952 having reached the rank of Staff Sergeant after serving for a total of 4 yrs. and 8 months.

He was soon introduced by a Marine friend to a young and fetching accordion teacher named Lois Alleen Stuber. Gene quickly signed up and after a couple of lessons he thought his money might be better spent if he quit playing accordion in order to play with Lois. On February 20th, 1953 they were married and in 1954 they moved to the Portland, Oregon garage apartment of cousins Phil and Marie Castle. Sometime later Gene and Lois both got hired by Tektronix but in the tradition of the Castle’s previous renters Lois became pregnant and decided not to join the working forces, but Dad began working at Tektronix in the parts department for the Oscilloscopes division and ended up in Cost Accounting by the end of his career.

Gene had a lifelong fascination and love of steam locomotives and while he never built one of his own which was his dream, he rode them, read about them, and shared his interest with his family and others who felt the same way. He was part of the restoration team who took an old full size Banks steam engine from rust and ruin to beautifully running and restored as it appeared on TV’s ” Petticoat Junction”.

After retiring from over 33 years at Tektronix, Gene began his own business repairing furnaces and air conditioners, performing yard care, roofing, and painting among other things. He and Lois built their Oceanside, Oregon round house sharing it with their dogs BO, Lady, Sheena and Patch and their family Casey and partner Nancy, Wendy and husband Ernie and their children Christopher, Erin and Rian.

On Thursday April 14th at about 9PM Gene passed away suddenly during heart surgery which was required due to a major heart attack earlier that week.

He is survived by wife Lois, Casey’s partner Nancy, daughter Wendy and her husband Ernie, three grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

He will greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Arrangements under the direction of Pegg, Paxson & Springer Funeral Chapel, Beaverton, OR.