Funeral services were held Aug. 20 at St Joseph Catholic Church in Jefferson for Eugene Francis Venteicher, 51, of Coon Rapids.
Father John Gerald was celebrant of the Mass of the Resurrection. Lector was John Short, Amy Roberts was soloist, accompanied by Rhena Lane.
Casket bearers were Tom Scheffers, Johnny Hamilton, Jason Moore, Jim Funcke, Steve Hunter and Bryan Gibson. Interment was at St Joseph Catholic Cemetery with military rites by an Iowa Army honor guard.
The family was assisted by Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home.
Eugene Francis Venteicher passed away Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, after losing a grueling battle with cancer.
Gene was born Tuesday, April 25, 1967, in Iowa City to Francis and Joy (Ganoe) Venteicher. After completing high school, he quickly joined the Army. His basic training led him to Fort Hicks, NJ, one of many destinations he would reside in with his life-long career as a soldier. Gene married Kristin McDonald on Jan. 20, 1990. They raised two children together. His transportation position in the Army would lead his family to various places including Germany, Missouri, Virginia and Maryland. After retiring from the Army, he decided to continue the transportation profession and began trucking.
After the loss of his father, Gene took on the job of running the family farm alongside his brother, something that was quite familiar due to their own upbringing. When he wasn’t on the farm, he could be found spending time with friends, in the woods hunting or making his own sausage and smoked meats to share with his friends and family. He always made time for his children and grandchildren when they came back home for visits or adding them to his trucking route. He was an especially proud father and grandfather, always ready to show off what his family was doing.
Gene is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife Kristin Venteicher of Maryland; daughter Amanda (Christopher) Pross of Pittsburg, KS, son Brandon (Ari) Venteicher of Seaside, CA; brother Terry (Cathy) Venteicher of Des Moines; sisters Kay Venteicher (Thomas Burrell) of Woodbridge, VA, and Shelly (Shaun) Reed of Jefferson; nieces and nephews Matt (Cheyenne) Belcher, Megan Belcher, Carly Venteicher, Tessica Venteicher (Kevin Harbour) , Bryceon (Alicia) Shulman, Kolton (Jillian) Reed, Kelly Reed, Kolin Reed, and Kara Reed; and grandbabies Jaxon and Rylinn Pross.
