Gene B. Sherfick, 96, of Shoals, passed away on Wednesday morning, March 15, 2023 at The Villages of Oak Ridge in Washington, IN.
Born March 6, 1927, in New Albany, Indiana, he was the son of Everett and Anna Bryan (Green) Sherfick.
He graduated from Shoals High School with the Class of 1945 and was a member of the Shoals Christian Church.
Gene married Eldean Wininger on September 3, 1948, in Bedford, Indiana. They enjoyed 74 1/2 years together.
Gene enlisted in the United States Air Force in October 1951 and served at Selfridge Air Force Base in Michigan, Lackland Air Force Base in Texas as a drill instructor, Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, and Tripoli, Libya as a Morning Clerk; achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant. During his time in Libya, he was awarded the Airman of the Month of the European Theater. Gene was Honorably Discharged in October of 1955.
He started farming with his dad in 1956 in Lost River Township.
Besides serving his country, Gene was also very active on many community boards; those included Soil and Water Conservation District Board, Martin County Commissioner, Board of Daviess-Martin County REMC, Farm Bureau Co-op Board, Bateman Community Center Director, Martin County 4-H Fair Association, Martin County Extension Association, Martin County Sheriff’s Merit Board, Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals, Four Rivers Resource Conservation and Development Board, a founding member of the Lost River Township Volunteer Fire Department, and a lifelong member of the American Legion. Gene was also a National Weather Service volunteer reporter.
His hobbies when he was young, included coon hunting. In the service he became interested in building and flying model airplanes. His interest in flying later lead to him getting his pilot’s license. Gene and Eldean also enjoyed gardening, vacations to the Smokey Mountains and spending much loved time with all their family.
Surviving are his wife, Eldean; his 2 children, Larry (Linda) Sherfick, of Shoals, and Karen (Duane) Mann, of Loogootee; 4 grandchildren, Kevin (Ashley) Mann, Kristin (Corbin) Cooper, Kara (Eric) Greene, all of Loogootee, and Augustus (Kendall Harshberger) Sherfick, of Leander, Texas; 6 great-grandchildren, Avery Brock, Evelyn and Oliver Mann, Emmett and Hayes Cooper, and Amelia Greene, all of Loogootee; and one brother, George Sherfick, of Terre Haute.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Howard and Stanley Sherfick.
Funeral services will be at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at the Shoals Christian Church with Pastor Matt Sullivan officiating. Burial will be at Spring Hill Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4-8 P.M. on Monday at the Queen-Lee Chapel of George Funeral Care, Shoals and from 10 A.M. until the service hour on Tuesday at the Shoals Christian Church.
Memorial contributions may be made to Lost River Township Volunteer Fire Department.
Online condolences may be made to the family at www.queenlee.com.
