Reginal Eugene “Gene” Eakins was born April 26, 1943, in Shattuck, Oklahoma, to J.B. Eakins and Peggy Eakins-Derry. He passed away October 24, 2010, in Cheyenne after a courageous battle with cancer, with his family at his side. Services were held today, Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at Magnolia Baptist Church officiated by Greg Keith. Burial was at Bellview Cemetery under the direction of Rose Chapel Funeral Service, Cheyenne. Condolences can be made online at www.whineryfs.com. The family request that you continue Gene’s passion of contributing by donating to a charity of your choice.
Gene was raised on the family ranch in Crawford. He attended school through his junior year at Crawford and then moved with his family to Cheyenne, where he graduated as the valedictian from Cheynne High School in 1961. He attended college at the University of Oklahoma and Southwestern State College. Gene graduated from CMSU in Warrenburg, Missouri in 1977 with a degree in criminal justice. Gene and Jeani met while attending Cheyenne High School and were married on Christmas Day 1963. To this union two girls were born, Nikki and Lindsay. Gene and Jeani were married for 47 wonderful and happy years.
On March 30, 1966, Gene enlisted for four years of active duty in the US Army Security Agency. He was sent to the Defense Language institute for 10 months to study the Thai langusge. He was assigned to the 83rd Radio Research Special Operations Institute in Bangkok, Thailand, which was located inside the Thai Army Center Intelligence Division base. He had a top secret crypto clearance. During his active duty tour, Gene was awarded the National Defense, Good Conduct and Vietnam Campaign Service Ribbons. After his discharge from the military, Gene and Jeani moved to Kansas City, Missouri. Upon graduating from college, he worked for the Pinkerton Security Agency as an undercover agent. Gene later worked many years for the Kansas City Liquor/Amusement Control Board as a field agent. After moving to Cheyenne, he worked for the Chamber of Commerce and received the 2010 Volunteer of the Year Award.
He was one of the founding members of the United Bowhunters of Missouri (UBM). He early participated in any bowhuning rendezvous, camping and or hunting trips. Gene especially loved educating and being as mentor to any person young or old who had an interest in bowhunting. Gene was also a member of NRA, NWTF,SAS, Compton Traditional Bowhunter, United Bowhunters of Illinois, Professional Bowhunters Society and Veterans of Foreign War.
His interests included all of his daughters’ activities, traveling, tracing his family’s genealogy, discovering new restaurants, drinking coffee with his coffee-shop buddies, hanging out at Bruce’s barn whenever he could sneak away from his “honey-do” list, and last but not least, Papa Gene perfected the art of spoiling his granddaughter, Mia. He was a devoted husband and a doting father and grandfather.
He was preceded in death by his parents, J.B. Eakins and Peggy Eakins-Derry; stepfather, Russell Derry; paternal grandparents, Bernard and Lonnie Eakins, maternal grandparents, Lloyd and Dimple Thurman, uncle Jack Thurman; a nephew, Monte Allen and a cousin, Oteka Hershey.
He is survived by his wife, Jeani, of the home; two daughters, Jennifer Nicole Camacho and husband, Florentino Camacho, III, Kansas City, Missouri, and Lindsay Danielle Castaneda and husband Danny, Cheyenne; one brother, John Bruce Eakins and wife, Linda, Crawford; one granddaughter, Mia Re’Voal Eakins; stepbrother, Charles Gilliland; stepsister, Suzie Lowrance and husband, Garry; several nephews, nieces and cousins; a brother-in-law, Mickey Allen, and wife, Jan; a sister-in-law, Paulette Moad and husband, Joe Bill; and many beloved friends.
Cheyenne Star, Cheyenne, OK 28OCT2010
Eakins, Reginald Eugene “Gene”
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