Eugene "Gene" Elmer Loomis, Sr. Obituary (1938

Eugene E. "Gene" Loomis, Sr., 79, of Hazleton, Iowa, passed away on Tuesday morning, January 16, 2018 at Unity Point - Allen Hospital in Waterloo, Iowa. Funeral Service: 1:00 P.M. Friday, January 19, 2018 at Zion Lutheran Church in Oelwein with Pastor Joshua Schunk officiating. Visitation: 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. Thursday at the Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home in Oelwein and for one hour before the service at the church on Friday. Interment: Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, rural Oelwein, with Military Graveside Service. A Memorial Fund has been established for Zion Lutheran Church. Online obituary at www.jamisonschmitzfuneralhome.com Eugene Elmer Loomis was born June 19, 1938 at Oelwein, Iowa, the son of Irving and Elsie (Brickman) Loomis. He graduated from Arlington Public School in 1955 and enlisted in the Navy shortly after graduation. After basic training, he attended naval aviation schools and served at naval air bases at Kingsville, Texas, Oceana, Virginia, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and aboard the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid and was honorably discharged in 1959. Gene was united in marriage to Hazel "Pat" Whitehead on December 21, 1958 at London Bridge, Virginia. After his discharge from the Navy, and for the next 25 years they lived in Waterloo and Denver. Gene was employed at Rath Packing Co. They later moved to Hazleton and Gene purchased his first new semi-tractor, and as an owner operator leased to Warren Transport in Waterloo. He hauled John Deere and Caterpillar parts and equipment throughout the United States for 20 years. After retiring, Gene and Pat spent most of their winters in Weslaco, Texas where they had a mobile home in a gated retirement park. He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Oelwein and the Arlington American Legion. Gene is survived by his wife: Hazel "Pat" Loomis of Hazleton; -3 sons: Gene (Tricia) Loomis, Jr. of Oelwein, Mike (April) Loomis of Hazleton and Mark (Robin) Loomis of Winthrop; daughter: Jackie (CJ) Lensing of Oelwein; 2 granddaughters: Brandi (Daniel) Banks and Kacey Loomis; 4 grandsons: Clayton and Matthew Loomis and Joseph and Jonathan Lensing; 3 step-grandchildren: Corianne, Taalor and Matayo; 2 great grandchildren: Kinsee Banks and Ryker Banks; 4 sisters: Donna Murphy of Cedar Rapids, Marjorie Grimm of Waverly, Carol (Les) Tammen of Manson and Dorothy (Lee) Buhr of Oelwein; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; 2 brothers: Carl Loomis and Robert Loomis & 2 sisters: Fern Hock and Evelyn Loomis.