Eugene Warren Hitchman Jr.

Gene was born on December 11, 1933 in San Jose, California to Eugene Warren Hitchman and Margaret Gertrude Hayes. In 1954, he was enlisted in the Army and served a portion of his tour in Korea, departing the military in 1956 as a Specialist Third Class. Gene graduated from Lewis & Clark College with a degree in Business Administration in 1959. After an on again, off again, on again courtship spanning many years, Gene finally married his high school sweetheart, Ann Blanding, in 1963 at the University Park Methodist Church in Portland, Oregon. They welcomed their only child, Daniel, into the world in 1972.

The phrase "Variety is the spice of life," aptly describes Gene's storied biography. He loved recounting his solo adventures riding a Vespa moto-scooter throughout the UK, Europe, and a number of other foreign countries in the early 1960's. During this devil-may-care-period, he even jumped into competitive amateur racecar driving. Gene had a passion for flying and became a single-engine pilot and then taught aeronautics at a high school and community college, and eventually saved up for his own Cessna Skylane Turboprop. 'Stasis' was never in his vocabulary as he tried his hand at being a high school business teacher, traveling pharmaceutical rep, self-made business owner, and avid gardener and hobbyist. Throughout his life, you couldn't pry a hammer or screwdriver out of his hands as he designed and constructed two houses in Oregon, and remodeled countless others when his family moved to Colorado. In his free time, Gene was happily willing to extend a helping hand or impart more than a few nuggets of advice to his friends and neighbors (jokingly, they would often say whether they wanted it or not).

Gene leaves behind his wife, son, brother David, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Shirley.

Instead of flowers or other gifts, the family asks that donations be made to Gene's favorite charities. Please see below to donate.