Eugene 'Gene' Jacobsen, 84

Eugene "Gene" Jacobsen, 84, passed away Thursday, April 23, 2009, from progressive lung disease at Kalispell Regional Medical Center in Kalispell. He was born on Feb. 17, 1925, in Deer Lodge.

He was raised in Butte and graduated from Butte High School in 1943, and served in the Navy Seabees from 1943 to 1946, and from 1951 to 1952.

Gene married Fran Oster on Dec. 30, 1950, in Billings. They moved to Kalispell in 1953 where he worked at Kalispell Lumber, Brick and Builders, and Glacier Wholesalers, retiring in 1990.

He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church.

He especially enjoyed fishing and camping, and also enjoyed running and skiing. His special passion was hiking and climbing with the "Over the Hill Gang." He had a unique talent for responding to a casual comment or phrase with a poem or tune from the past.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents, Lois and Arnold Jacobsen; an infant granddaughter, Alex West; and a sister, Willene Thompson.

He is survived by his wife, Fran Jacobsen, of Kalispell; and son, Tom Jacobsen, of Shelby; and her daughter, Karen West, and husband, Rich, and grandson, Sean West, of Fairfield; granddaughter, Amanda Manuel, and husband, Jayden, of Bozeman; sisters, Joyce Toohey and husband, Bill, and Arlene Neuman and husband, Ray; and numerous nieces and nephews and their families.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 28, at the Trinity Lutheran Church, with Pastor Mark Cutler officiating. Burial will be at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery.

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for Eugene's family.