Gene Fopp, 96

World War II veteran Gene Fopp, 96, of Great Falls, died of an apparent heart attack Saturday at his current residence, Azalea Place Assisted Living. A memorial service will be held in mid-November at Hillcrest Lawn Chapel. Cremation has taken place under the direction of Schnider Funeral Home. Gene was born May 7, 1914, in Somers, to Anton and Mary (Zandanel) Fopp, who emigrated in 1912 from Perarola, Italy, an area close to the Swiss border. He was the second of four sons. He attended local schools and graduated from Flathead County High School in 1932. He attended the University of Montana, graduating with a bachelor s degree in law in 1938 and a juris doctor degree in 1940. He became an FBI agent in Washington, D.C., that same year. He served in field offices in Philadelphia, New York, Salt Lake City, and by request, in the Montana/Idaho division. He married Joan, his college sweetheart, on Oct. 18, 1941, in Great Falls, which allowed a blind date to last 69 years. During his service in the FBI during World War II, he specialized in espionage, sabotage and internal security cases. He was featured as a firearms expert and performed demonstrations of skilled shooting from coast to coast. He also was an inspector s aid and senior resident agent stationed in Great Falls. He had fascinating stories of cases and experiences throughout the U.S. In June 1964, Gene expressed his desire to practice law in Great Falls, and Director J. Edgar Hoover accepted his resignation. Then-Sen. Mike Mansfield made note of this in the Congressional Record. In the practice of law, he specialized in the construction field throughout the United States and devoted considerable time to developing gas/oil, gold mining properties and real estate. He had been a member of the American, Federal, and Montana bar associations, Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, the University of Montana Alumni Association and the Meadow Lark Country Club. He and his wife enjoyed traveling worldwide and in the U.S. He was an avid fly fisherman, hunter and golfer. On an elk hunt in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, he was attacked by a charging grizzly bear. He defended his life by shooting and killing the bear at 30 feet. For over 40 years, Gene had a love affair with the Smith River and the property he traversed there for over 50 years. He was confident that the family will continue to be good stewards of the land. He also had a special place in his heart for Adel and is now catching up with his long-missed good friend, Hank Hibbard, as well as his family. One of the other greatest joys of his life was living around the corner from his daughter, Shelley, and taking part in raising his grandchildren. Survivors include his wife, the love of his life, Joan (Kennard) Fopp, of Great Falls; daughters, Shelley Liknes and George of Great Falls, and Caroline Fopp of Indiana; and grandchildren, Erin, currently on a medical mission in India, and Kara and Conrad, both of Helena. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Michael, A.J. and Albert; a half-brother, George; and a daughter, Sandra Paulette Fopp. Condolences for the family may be left online at www.schniderfuneralhome.com.