Eugene Charles Aldrich of Hartford, South Dakota, passed away Wednesday, April 5, at his home surrounded by family members. He had dealt with pulmonary fibrosis and diabetes for years and had beaten prostate cancer, but other cancers finally took their toll.
Eugene was born May 26, 1922, and grew up on the family homestead north of Hartford. He attended Grand Meadow School and Hartford High School. He received a degree in agriculture from SDSU and graduated in 1947 from Kansas State University with a degree in Veterinary Medicine.
He married Ruby Shields at Ramona, Kansas, on Oct. 5, 1947. They lived in Escondido, California, before moving back to South Dakota where he was in private practice until he retired in 1987.
He was interested in community affairs and served on the town council of Hartford. He was a member of the Lions Club, and taught hunter safety for several years. He was on the Board of Directors at McCrossan Boys Ranch and also the McCrossan Foundation. Gene and Ruby were leaders of the MYF group at the Methodist Church in Hartford for several years. He was a charter member of the Sioux Empire Gem and Mineral Society and served a couple terms as president. The State Mineralogical Society also benefited from his interest. He went to many gem shows around the state and demonstrated the art of cutting and polishing rocks by hand. Several area schools had him do presentations on rocks and minerals. Restoring and repairing antique clocks was fascinating to him as well. Fishing, hunting and the outdoors were lifelong diversions.
Gene and Ruby opened their home to his deceased sister's three children, and Orlin Schroeder lived with them for a couple years. Gene's mother also lived with them for several years. Gene is survived by his wife Ruby, son Lester and Vickie of Bonner Springs, Kansas; son Gordon of Sioux Falls; daughter Rebecca and Keith Bowen of St. Augustine, Florida; niece Deede and Delmar Koel of Marshall, Minnesota, and niece Patricia and David Beaudrot of Charleston, South Carolina. There are nine grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. His parents Charles and Agnes Aldrich; his sister Deede Gerloff; and his nephew Jack Gerloff preceded him in death.
Eugene was born May 26, 1922, and grew up on the family homestead north of Hartford. He attended Grand Meadow School and Hartford High School. He received a degree in agriculture from SDSU and graduated in 1947 from Kansas State University with a degree in Veterinary Medicine.
He married Ruby Shields at Ramona, Kansas, on Oct. 5, 1947. They lived in Escondido, California, before moving back to South Dakota where he was in private practice until he retired in 1987.
He was interested in community affairs and served on the town council of Hartford. He was a member of the Lions Club, and taught hunter safety for several years. He was on the Board of Directors at McCrossan Boys Ranch and also the McCrossan Foundation. Gene and Ruby were leaders of the MYF group at the Methodist Church in Hartford for several years. He was a charter member of the Sioux Empire Gem and Mineral Society and served a couple terms as president. The State Mineralogical Society also benefited from his interest. He went to many gem shows around the state and demonstrated the art of cutting and polishing rocks by hand. Several area schools had him do presentations on rocks and minerals. Restoring and repairing antique clocks was fascinating to him as well. Fishing, hunting and the outdoors were lifelong diversions.
Gene and Ruby opened their home to his deceased sister's three children, and Orlin Schroeder lived with them for a couple years. Gene's mother also lived with them for several years. Gene is survived by his wife Ruby, son Lester and Vickie of Bonner Springs, Kansas; son Gordon of Sioux Falls; daughter Rebecca and Keith Bowen of St. Augustine, Florida; niece Deede and Delmar Koel of Marshall, Minnesota, and niece Patricia and David Beaudrot of Charleston, South Carolina. There are nine grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. His parents Charles and Agnes Aldrich; his sister Deede Gerloff; and his nephew Jack Gerloff preceded him in death.
Eugene Charles Aldrich of Hartford, South Dakota, passed away Wednesday, April 5, at his home surrounded by family members. He had dealt with pulmonary fibrosis and diabetes for years and had beaten prostate cancer, but other cancers finally took their toll.
Eugene was born May 26, 1922, and grew up on the family homestead north of Hartford. He attended Grand Meadow School and Hartford High School. He received a degree in agriculture from SDSU and graduated in 1947 from Kansas State University with a degree in Veterinary Medicine.
He married Ruby Shields at Ramona, Kansas, on Oct. 5, 1947. They lived in Escondido, California, before moving back to South Dakota where he was in private practice until he retired in 1987.
He was interested in community affairs and served on the town council of Hartford. He was a member of the Lions Club, and taught hunter safety for several years. He was on the Board of Directors at McCrossan Boys Ranch and also the McCrossan Foundation. Gene and Ruby were leaders of the MYF group at the Methodist Church in Hartford for several years. He was a charter member of the Sioux Empire Gem and Mineral Society and served a couple terms as president. The State Mineralogical Society also benefited from his interest. He went to many gem shows around the state and demonstrated the art of cutting and polishing rocks by hand. Several area schools had him do presentations on rocks and minerals. Restoring and repairing antique clocks was fascinating to him as well. Fishing, hunting and the outdoors were lifelong diversions.
Gene and Ruby opened their home to his deceased sister's three children, and Orlin Schroeder lived with them for a couple years. Gene's mother also lived with them for several years. Gene is survived by his wife Ruby, son Lester and Vickie of Bonner Springs, Kansas; son Gordon of Sioux Falls; daughter Rebecca and Keith Bowen of St. Augustine, Florida; niece Deede and Delmar Koel of Marshall, Minnesota, and niece Patricia and David Beaudrot of Charleston, South Carolina. There are nine grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. His parents Charles and Agnes Aldrich; his sister Deede Gerloff; and his nephew Jack Gerloff preceded him in death.
Eugene was born May 26, 1922, and grew up on the family homestead north of Hartford. He attended Grand Meadow School and Hartford High School. He received a degree in agriculture from SDSU and graduated in 1947 from Kansas State University with a degree in Veterinary Medicine.
He married Ruby Shields at Ramona, Kansas, on Oct. 5, 1947. They lived in Escondido, California, before moving back to South Dakota where he was in private practice until he retired in 1987.
He was interested in community affairs and served on the town council of Hartford. He was a member of the Lions Club, and taught hunter safety for several years. He was on the Board of Directors at McCrossan Boys Ranch and also the McCrossan Foundation. Gene and Ruby were leaders of the MYF group at the Methodist Church in Hartford for several years. He was a charter member of the Sioux Empire Gem and Mineral Society and served a couple terms as president. The State Mineralogical Society also benefited from his interest. He went to many gem shows around the state and demonstrated the art of cutting and polishing rocks by hand. Several area schools had him do presentations on rocks and minerals. Restoring and repairing antique clocks was fascinating to him as well. Fishing, hunting and the outdoors were lifelong diversions.
Gene and Ruby opened their home to his deceased sister's three children, and Orlin Schroeder lived with them for a couple years. Gene's mother also lived with them for several years. Gene is survived by his wife Ruby, son Lester and Vickie of Bonner Springs, Kansas; son Gordon of Sioux Falls; daughter Rebecca and Keith Bowen of St. Augustine, Florida; niece Deede and Delmar Koel of Marshall, Minnesota, and niece Patricia and David Beaudrot of Charleston, South Carolina. There are nine grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. His parents Charles and Agnes Aldrich; his sister Deede Gerloff; and his nephew Jack Gerloff preceded him in death.
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