Earl Eugene Stocking

Known to his family and friends as “Gene,” he was born to Kenneth Lyell and Nona Greeson on February 17, 1928, in Calhoun, MO. He was the third of four brothers and two sisters. Gene outlived all his siblings.

Gene married Marion Lou Tolman in 1955. They had two children by birth, Richard and Lou Ann, and adopted a third, Theodore. They lived in New Mexico until 1968 when they moved to Orchard Mesa and then later to Palisade. This marriage ended in divorce in 1977.

Gene married Louise Cole-Gannon in 1981 and welcomed her children Ben, Gary, Lois, Frankie, Eddie, Joana, Jeannie, Kathy, and Andy. Louise passed away in 2007.

Primarily trained as a carpenter, Gene mastered a variety of other construction skills -plumbing, electrical, welding, concrete, and surveying. These skills were exercised to a large degree as a construction foreman best known for building many schools on the Navajo reservation. Gene built a house in Aztec and remodeled a house in Palisade before settling in the Grand Junction house with Louise.

Gene loved building and fixing things. Most of the farming implements for his beloved (1954) International Farmall A tractor were handmade. He would often go to farm sales and see equipment he could not afford and would come home and cut and weld the equivalent pieces. He never had a vehicle he considered broken in until it surpassed 200K miles.

Gene enjoyed traveling, fishing, hunting (including black powder), and being outdoors. His love of photography matched well with Louise and her love of painting. They loved to go into the mountains above Ouray, where they worked a silver mine patent claim and then would paint and photograph the majestic scenery.

Gene was an active member and became a deacon or elder in the Christian Churches in Aztec, NM, Palisade, and Orchard Mesa.

Gene is survived by Richard Stocking (Karen) Lancaster CA., Lou Ann Mancel Aztec NM, Ben Cole (Debi) Delta CO, Gary Cole Berlin, NJ., Lois Foster (Dennis) Grand Junction, CO, and Joana Hugus Oklahoma City, OK. He had 18 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

Memorial services will be held at Cedaredge Cemetery on Saturday, September 7th at 1100.

Arrangements are under the care of Callahan-Edfast Mortuary.