Gene Edward Gerkey

Gene Gerkey passed away October 13, 2018, at the Washington Odd Fellows Home of Walla Walla.

He was born August 21, 1928 in Walla Walla, Washington to parents Sam Gerkey and Frances Ferenbacher Gerkey.  Gene was a first-grader at Washington Elementary School in Walla Walla when his mother passed away at the age of 28.  He and his sisters then lived with their grandparents, Margaret and Joseph Ferenbacher at their country home in Fruitvale, outside of Milton-Freewater, OR.  In 1944 he returned to Walla Walla and graduated from Walla Walla High School in 1946.

Gene served in the Army during the post-war occupation of Japan in 1947 and returned home to attend Washington State University, aided by the G.I. Bill, graduating in 1952 with an English Literature degree and journalism certificate.

Gene met Nadine Munns in Walla Walla during college summer break, dated 10 nights in a row, and they married in St. Patrick Catholic Church, August 28, 1952.  He went to work on a wheat farm for his father-in-law, Francis Munns, and the couple moved to a country home near Prescott on the Touchet River in October of that year.

Gene and his wife Nadine loved to dance to Big Band swing music and saw Louis Armstrong at WSU among many others.  In 1959, they took their Children to a Duke Ellington concert at the old Wa-Hi gym in Walla Walla.  In 1960, Gene and Nadine saw John F. Kennedy and Jackie at the community center in Milton-Freewater during their successful presidential run, a favorite memory.

Surviving the devastating Touchet River floods of 1964 and 1996, Gene and Nadine lived on the family farm for 65 years, irrigating pastureland and caring for horses and cattle.  Retiring from active wheat farming in 1998, Gene, along with Nadine, had memorable travels to New York, Boston, Charleston, New Orleans, England, France, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Egypt and Israel.

They attended the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia and saw George W. Bush win the nomination for President, another favorite memory.  In the spring of 2001, six months before the tragedy of 911, Gene and Nadine took their children on a week’s visit to Washington D.C., with visits to the Capital, Library of Congress, Holocaust Museum, Arlington Cemetery, Kennedy Center, and a river trip to George Washington’s home at Mt. Vernon.

Gene was a sports enthusiast, enjoyed tennis and loved WSU Cougar football, attending numerous Apple Cups over the years- from the 1972 game against Sonny Sixkiller in Spokane to the 1997 Ryan Leaf led victory in Seattle that sent the Cougars to their first Rose Bowl since 1931 (Alabama).

Over the past five years, family member Ron Munns, Jr. helped Gene rebuild an old shop into “Geno’s Cougar Man Cave” where ping pong, food, music and poetry were enjoyed by family and friends, and included Gene’s 90 ^th birthday in August.

Genes was a member of Lamba Chi Alpha fraternity (WSU) and Walla Walla Elk’s Club, served on the Board of the Walla Walla Farmer’s Co-op, and was a member of Assumption Catholic Church.

Gene’s family is indebted to the tight-knit Prescott community, for the friendship and support over the many years; and grateful for the care-giving and rehab at Washington Odd Fellows Home this past year along with the life-saving measures of doctors and nurses at St. Mary’s Hospital.  Special thanks to doctors Steinle, Parker, Condon, Wongsuwan, and family physician Dr. Robert Carmody.  We’ll Cherish Gene’s memory.

He is survived by his wife Nadine Munns Gerkey, sons Steve and Edward, daughter-in-law Becky Torres Gerkey, step-sister Betty Hastings, sisters-in-law Mary Frances Munns Towner (Red), Eulah Munns Davis, and brother-in-law Mike Ferrante.

Gene is preceded in death by his parents, step-mother Lola Rose Gerkey, sister June Gerkey Myers, and Carol Gerkey Ferrante along with step-brother Bud Rose, brothers–in-law Frank Munns, Harold Oliver and Carroll Davis, and sister-in-law Nydia Jane Munns Oliver.

A Graveside Service will be held at Mountain View Cemetery of Walla Walla on Friday, October 26, 2018 at 11:00AM.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation through the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder, Walla Walla, WA.