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Eugene Dale Ettles
08/06/1930 — 08/20/2008
From Kennewick, WA, US | Born in Baker, MT
Eugene Dale Ettles
Eugene Dale Ettles, 78, passed away unexpectantly on Wednesday, August 20, 2008, in Kennewick. Gene was born August 6th, 1930, in Baker, Montana, to Edith and Wallace Ettles. He was the fourth youngest of 12 children. His family moved to Ellensburg in 1936 where Gene attended grade school to high school before enlisting in the US Navy from 1951 until 1955. After the Korean War, Gene met and married Janet Blades of Ellensburg in 1956. They lived in Yakima for four years while Gene attended Perry Trade. They relocated to Kennewick in 1961 where they raised their two daughters Teresa and Shanda. Gene resided in Kennewick for 47 years.
He worked at Sandvik Special Metals in the maintenance department for 24 years, retiring in 1997. If there was something to be built, fixed, fabricated, tooled, modified, patched up, broken down, maintained, or made better; Gene could do it. He was, always moving, always helping, always learning, and always doing. Gene kept an immaculate yard and enjoyed tending to the garden he shared with his special friend Maurilio Lara. His most pleasurable times were those spent with his grandkids and family. His grandkids especially have many wonderful memories of time spent their 'Pop.'
Gene is survived by his wife of 52 years Janet, his daughters Teresa Ankner, Kennewick, WA, and Shanda Icayan, Richland, WA; his grandchildren Joshua, Matthew, Alyssa, Austin, and Kinzie; and his greatgrandson Grasin. He is also survived by his sisters, Wanda Daniel, Gig Harbor, WA, Opal Ettles, Tacoma, WA, and Betty Hines, Hawaii; his brother Harold Ettles of Yakima, WA; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Words can never express how deeply Gene loved, and still does love his family and friends; nor can they express how deeply he was loved, and is still loved by them.
It may not seem like it now; but, there is a day coming ... 'And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' Rev 21:3, 4 NIV. Such is what Gene believed in a very personal and quiet way.
A viewing will be held at Einan's Funeral Home in Richland on Monday, August 25th, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Tuesday, August 26th, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, August 27th, at 11 a.m. at the South Hills Church, 3700 W 27th Avenue in Kennewick, where Gene attended services. A reception will be held at the church after the service.
Janet, Shanda and Family: I am so saddended by the loss of your husband, father, grandfather. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this difficult time.
Gene was a one in a million guy.
I had the pleasure of meeting him and his wife Janet just once, but I will never forget our interactions during our one week of being together with members of both of our families who included his and my grand children and great grand son Grasin. Gene will forever be in my prayers until we all meet again in Heaven with my wife Mary who is already in Heaven waiting for that Grand Reunion in the sky with God and his Son Jesus Christ where we will be forever and forever.
Gene’s untimely passing was and still is a shock to me but I know that he is in Heaven and I will see him again. Praise God and His Son Jesus Christ for that Blessed Assurance.
My prayers will also be with Janet and their family members where I know they will be sustained during this troublesome time by our Lord Jesus Christ.
My deepest sympathy….My thoughts and prayers are with you at this time…Gene was a wonderful man and my favorite Uncle…
I too will always miss him…I have wonderful memories of Uncle Gene, especially when he was a young man and still living at home…I use to go with him to do the chores…milking cows etc…It was always a game and he teased me and of course, I loved it…
I am totally at peace knowing Uncle Gene is with our Lord in Heaven…
Love marilyn
I am deeply saddened by the passing of my great uncle, Gene. Gene was my grandmother, Lula’s, brother. I have very fond memories of him. He was a very kind and gentle man. He will be missed by all.
Tammy
Your family are in our thoughts and prayers. May God be your consolation and surround each of you with His eternal Love.
Shanda and family, I am so sorry to hear about your father, Shanda. Wanda Mccollom told me and I thought I would send you a little message. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Take care and drop a line when you can. Love and Prayers, Mary and Mac McNeil
We all know that with age and the passing of years eventually will come death. Although no one wants to loose a parent, grandfather, spouse or best friend it is one of the inevitable facts of life. I was the first of five grandchildren. The first grandchild pop held all of us grandchildren called him thatâ¦âpopâ and I have far too many wonderful memories with him to even begin to countâ¦so many summers with him out in the yard building things. From building big things such as their home to fishing in a river to just having long walks and talks. I drove my first car with him, I welded medal for the first time with him, he was the first elderly man I had EVER seen build stilts then walk on them, and most of all he took me to a fire station when I was very young and once when I was older and really gave me the dream of becoming a firefighter and being whatever I wanted to be. I loved him so much and would call several times a week just for him to answer and say âwhy hello there!â If you knew himâ¦you can hear his voice as you read that line. I never really told pop how much I loved him over the years but he knew. And he loved me tooâ¦along with the rest of the family and friends in his life. Heâs one of the few men I can truly say would literally take the shirt of his back and give it to you with no thought at all if you needed it. I know that a loved one like pop is a treasure of the heart and to lose a loved one is like losing a piece of yourself. But the love that he brought us…did not leave, for the essence of the soul lingers. It cannot escape our hearts, for it has been there forever. We have to cling to the memories and let them find their way to heal us all. The love and laughter, the joy in the togetherness we shared…will make us strong. We’ll come to realize that our time together, no matter how long, was meant to be, and that we were blessed to have such a precious gift of love in our lives. We must keep our hearts beating with the loving memories and trust in our faith to guide us through. We know that although life moves on…the beauty of love stays behind to surround and embrace us. Pop has left us that…to hold in our hearts forever. We canât be sad for long. Pop wouldnât want that. Weâll miss you pop and the memories we shared.
-Josh-
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Eugene Dale Ettles