Mr. Eugene Geurink, age 71, of Alton, passed away on Saturday, January 31, 2009, at the Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City.

There will be a memorial service on Wednesday, February 4, at 1:00pm, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Alton. The Rev. Fr. Paul Eisele, the Rev. Fr. Richard Ball, and the Rev. Fr. James Tigges will officiate. The remains are being cremated, according to his wishes. Interment of the cremains will follow the service at the church cemetery. Visitation will be on Tuesday, from 4:00pm to 8:00pm, with a prayer service at 7:30pm, at the CHURCH. Arrangements are with the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.

Eugene Carlton was born on September 25, 1937, in Sioux City, the son of Henry William and Fannie (Reinders) Geurink. He was raised in Orange City, where he graduated from the Northwestern Classical Academy.

On November 27, 1958, he married Joanne Frances Ahlers in Granville. They made their home in Alton. He was employed for more than forty years by the Vogel Paint Corporation in Orange City, retiring as plant manager. He had also worked as an organ builder, piano tuner, and house painter.

Gene was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, where he was an organist and had served as parish council president. He also served as scoutmaster and was an avid fisherman. He was well- known for his sense of humor and colorful vocabulary. He loved spending time with his family, especially the grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife of fifty years, Jo; four daughters, Patti Davis, of Omaha, Nebraska; Peggy, and her husband, Mark Schleuger, of Des Moines; Paula Cleveringa, of Des Moines; and Penny, and her husband, Jim O'Connor, of Waterloo; a son and his wife, Bob and Brenda Geurink, of Des Moines; fourteen grandchildren, Andrea, and her husband, James Johnson, and Jeff and Erika Goergen; Rebecca Schleuger-Valadao, and her husband, Mauro, and Ryan Schleuger; Nicole, James, and Andrew Cleveringa; Lucy, Sean, and Maggie O'Connor; and Shane, Luke, and Garrett Geurink; a great-granddaughter, Bianca Schleuger-Valadao; a brother and his wife, Wally and Fran Geurink, of Ogallala, Nebraska; and his dog, Tigges.

He was preceded in death by his parents.