Eugene ìGeneî Emery

Eugene ìGeneî William Alfred Emery, 84, longtime Moses Lake resident passed away Tuesday, June 3, 2003 at his home.
Gene was born January 24, 1919 in Mora, Minn., son of the late Orville and Clara (Ahern) Emery. The family moved to a farm near Rush City, Minn. where he grew up and was educated. He later bought the family farm and operated it for a while before selling it. In the fall of 1945 he became engaged to Bonnie Marie Hageman, giving her a gold wristwatch when he proposed. Riding the rails to California as a hobo and living in hobo camps, working at odd jobs along the way until he reached Death Valley, California. While there he caddied at area gold courses and among those he caddied for included the movie star, Tom Mix. He return to Wisconsin and was married to Bonnie Marie Hageman on November 7, 1946 in Hayward, Wisconsin. They made their home in Wabasha, Minn. where their daughter, Linda and son, Steven were born. While there, he owned and operated his own milk truck and route, picking up milk cans from area farms and delivering to the creamery. In 1953, after selling the milk route the family moved out West, stopping in Yellowstone National Park for the summer where he worked, as he had in earlier years for a couple of summers. Moving farther west, they settled near Lind, Washington for a short time and later moved near the Adams County line, on Hi 90, sixteen miles east of Moses Lake. He worked for farmers in the area and in the winters worked at the U & I Sugar Plant. In 1956, shortly after their son, Mark was born in Moses Lake, they moved to Ruff, Washington. In 1959 Gene went to Alaska to pursue his dream of homesteading there, but returned later when he did not like what he saw. For a few seasons in the early 1960s they sold Christmas trees in the city of Moses Lake. They moved into Moses Lake in 1965 living at the Grant County Fairgrounds where Gene worked as the caretaker for the next eighteen years. Following retirement in 1984 they began to travel. For a couple of summers they worked again at West Yellowstone and in the winters they would sell Christmas trees in Nogales, Arizona. They also enjoyed antiquing and buying items at yard sales to resell at swap meets and flea markets. They settled in Deer Lodge, Montana in 1986 and in 1992 they moved to Wilbur, Washington. They returned to Moses Lake in 1996 and have lived here since. Gene was a member of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic church in Moses Lake. He loved to hunt and fish.
He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Linda M. and Bob Davis, Moses Lake; two sons and daughter-in-law, Steven O. Emery, SeaTac, WA, Mark and Paula Emery, Tacoma, WA; one sister and brother-in-law, Phyllis and Bevan Shaw, Mandan, N. Dakota; seven grandchildren, Melissa Davis, Michelle Davis, Mandy Davis, Darrell Davis and his fiancee, Laura Waskowitz, Monica Davis, Lori and Andy Olson, Christopher Emery; and one great grandson born last week, Caleb Olson; numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Bonnie in January of 2002 and two sisters and brother-in-law, Bernice and Harold Anderson, and Ceal and Englebert Edstrom.
Holy Rosary will be prayed at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 5, 2003 at Kayserís Chapel of Memories led by Monsignor Martin O. Skehan. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Friday, June 6, 2003 at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church with Monsignor Martin O. Skehan celebrant. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Warden. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Thursday from noon until the time of the Rosary.
Arrangements are in care of Kayserís Chapel and Crematory, Moses Lake.
Memorials may be made to Central Basin Home Health and Hospice, 311 W. Third, Moses Lake, WA 98837 or to the Samaritan Hospital Foundation, 801 E. Wheeler Road, Moses Lake, WA 98837.

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