Gene was born on Sept. 28, 1933 in Sedalia, MO, the youngest in a family of ten children. He was preceded in death by his parent, Herbert A. and Lela H. Williams.
On July 5, 1969, he was married to Miss Barbara Jean Bass, devoted loving wife and best friend of 50 years, who survives. Also surviving are their two daughters, Lindy (Chris) Conner and Courtney (Bryan) Beatty and four grandchildren, Cameron and Cassidy Sharitz and Alexander and Leah Beatty. Gene also is survived by a brother, Irvin, of Alta Loma, CA and a sister, Virginia (Dorsey) Lightner of Apple Valley, CA. Two sisters, Mildred Carr and Dora Lee Kilpatrick and four brothers, Kenneth, Edgar, Ralph, Cecil, and a stillborn sibling, preceded him in death.
Gene graduated from Smith-Cotton High School in 1951, where he served as student body president. He relished his boyhood experiences and the many lifelong Sedalia friendships. He enjoyed recalling being befriended as a kid by Mr. "Dutch" Kirchhoffer who took him to St. Louis to see his first major league baseball game, and by Mr. Ivan Berry to see the 1948 Major League All-Star game at Sportsman's Park. Gene always felt indebted to George and D. Kelly Scruton of the Sedalia Democrat for introducing him to the world of journalism and to many, many other Sedalians who were so kind to him as a youngster.
He was a four year Navy veteran, enlisting in 1952 with his school pals Bob Rosenquist, Don Decker, and William Morgan. He served in Korea with Fighter Squadron 53 aboard the aircraft carriers USS Valley Forge and USS Philippine Sea. Following military service Gene studied at Central Missouri University and Missouri University, "working his way through school" as a sports writer and reporter for the Sedalia Democrat and Columbia Tribune where he became infected by "printers ink", developing a lifelong affection for journalism.
At CMS University, Gene was selected to the Phi Sigma Pi National Honors Fraternity, and received a Citizenship Clearing House award, serving as a congressional intern for then Senator Stuart Symington and Congressman Morgan Moulder. Gene often explained to family and friends that it was this life-experience that convinced him to leave his father's conviction and to become a progressive minded Democrat.
In 1960, Gene began a 34-plus year career with Ford Motor Company. After completing Ford's College Graduate Training program, he held numerous positions in the Company's Sales and Marketing activities in Kansas City and Dearborn, MI. If anyone could say they had a "fun" job with a major corporation - Gene could! In Dearborn, working in Ford Division's Sales Promotion and Merchandising Department for over six years, Gene coordinated dealer sales and incentive programs - this included world-wide travel, annual Super Bowls IX through XVl and the first commercial travel program into the People's Republic of China.
In 1994 Gene retired, savoring the friendships developed with Ford dealer personnel, customers and fellow employees.
After retirement, he volunteered with the Salvation Army and Shepherd's Center of the Northland. Also, during the past 20 years Gene served Gladstone on various City committees. He was a life-time member of the BPO Elks Lodge of Sedalia, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.
An avid "sports nut," Gene attended Mizzou football games over a span of eight decades, Royals and Chiefs games since their arrival in Kansas City, as well as NASCAR races at every major venue. He became a Chiefs' Red Coater in 1966 and was privileged to have attended Super Bowls I and IV.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Children's Therapy Center of Sedalia, Shepherd's Center of the Northland or the American Diabetes Association.
