Arthur "Gene" Eldon Eugene Harris

Arthur Eldon Eugene Harris

Memorial services for Arthur Eldon Eugene Harris, 79, were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, 2006, at Lighthouse Ministries with Pastor Rick Carroll officiating. Burial will follow in the Veteran's section of Valley View Cemetery with military rites. At his request, cremation has taken place.

Gene died at the Community Hospital on Friday, March 24, 2006. Memorials may be made to either Lighthouse Ministries of VFW Post No, 2918 in Torrington. Gene was born June 15, 1926, in Oxford, Mo. to Samuel and Lydia (Ross) Harris. The family moved to the Torrington area in 1932. As a young man, he held jobs in Torrington, which included Goshen County Creamery, Standard Service Station, school bus driver, and Bloedorn Lumber. He enlisted in the Marine Corp Reserve in 1943 and graduated from Torrington High School in 1944. He served in the 5th Marine Division, which was part of the Iwo Jima Spearhead Operation. During active duty, he served as a rifle sharpshooter, in intelligence and as a bodyguard to Executive Officer Colonel R. H. Williams. He attained an honorable discharge as a Corporal in 1946. Gene married Joan DesEnfants on August 29, 1947, in Torrington. Born to this union were two sons, Dana and Dean. The family made their life and living as wheat farmers at Lost Springs for 47 years before retiring to Torrington in 1996.

Gene enjoyed his family, farming, hunting, fishing, archery and reading. He was active on the Board of the Senior Center in Lusk and in farm programs. He was a member of the Goshen County Veteran's Council, a life member of VFW Post 2918, a member of American Legion No. 1, the Marine Corps League and the Wyoming Archery Association.

Survivors include his wife Joan of Torrington; son Dana (Sandi) and Dean (Donna) both of Lusk; a granddaughter, Deanna (Ken) Maston of Gillette; grandsons, Trevor Harris of Madison, Wis. and Riley Osborne of Billings, Mont.; five great grandchildren; a sister-in-law Beulah Harris Meredith of Riverton; nieces Joanne (Jack) Mathews and Faye (Lowell) Murphy both of Torrington, Janice (Dugan) King, of Gering, Neb., and other nieces and nephews who reside outside of this area.

His parents, sister, Ona James; brothers, Forest, Raymond, Albert, Floyd and Harold; a grandson Marcus Cook preceded him in death.

Arrangements are under the direction of Colyer Funeral Home.

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