Eugene E. Steinke

Staff
Posted 4/10/18

MENDOTA - Eugene Edward “Gene” Steinke, 92, of Mendota, formerly of Earlville, passed away April 9, 2018 at Heritage Health in Mendota.

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Eugene E. Steinke

Posted

MENDOTA - Eugene Edward “Gene” Steinke, 92, of Mendota, formerly of Earlville, passed away April 9, 2018 at Heritage Health in Mendota.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 14 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Earlville with Rev. Tammy Anderson officiating. Entombment of Gene’s and Betty’s urns will follow at Precinct Cemetery Mausoleum, Earlville. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until time of service on Saturday at the church. Arrangements were entrusted to Hanley-Turner-Eighner Funeral Home, Earlville.

Gene was born June 9, 1925 in Earlville to Oswald and Ella (Weidner) Steinke. He married Betty Jean Durr on Feb. 9, 1947 in Mendota. She preceded him in death.

Survivors include one brother, Stanley (Kris) Steinke of Rockford and their children, Gary (Rebecca) Steinke and Lynn Steinke; a niece, Dixie (Floyd) Dewey of Paw Paw and their three daughters, Kim Hoxsey, Debbie (Jeff) Hennessee and Kellie (Kevin Slosarek) Challand; another niece and nephew, Jackie Clausen and Randy Novak, children of Gene’s late sister, Ellen Novak; and one cousin, John (Nancy) Weidner and their sons, David, Steve and Rodney (Kim) Weidner.

He was preceded in death by his wife and one sister, Ellen Novak.

Gene graduated from Earlville High School with the class of 1943. He and Betty farmed south of Earlville with John Deere equipment for years before retiring and moving to Earlville, where they lived for 17 years. They then moved to Stonecroft Village in Mendota in August 2011. He was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Earlville. He enjoyed bowling, playing cards and for many years was a drummer in his band, The Mello-aires, which included Laura Botts and John Eich. He enjoyed boating, fishing and teaching people to ski on Lake Kegonsa in Wisconsin where Taige Neilsen, Roscoe Goodbred and Gene built a cabin. He retired from bowling at the age of 85.

Memorials may be directed to M.A.S.S. or the donor’s choice.

For more information or to sign the online guest book, go to www.EighnerFuneralHomes.com.