Gene Cody, 78, died in New Richmond Thursday, April 15, 2004 after a courageous fight against a malignant brain tumor.
Gene was born on the Cody family farm in Stanton Township on December 30, 1925 to John Francis Cody and Marie Leota (Trow) Cody. He graduated from New Richmond High School in 1944 and elisted in the United States Navy where he served his wartime duty in the Atlantic Theater of Action as a US Navy gunner assigned to protect Merchant Marine shipping. After being honorably discharged in 1946, Gene tried his hand at raising beef cattle until a fire ended that endeavor. He drove a Greyhound bus, hauled milk for Maple Island, drove feed semis for Glen Cole and hauled livestock and freight for Bill Donahue.
In 1960 Gene purchased the Direct Service gas station on North Knowles Avenue in New Richmond which he operated until 1975 when he sold the gas station and began Cody's Auto Service and also began to drive fuel tanker for Skoglund Oil Company. After retiring from Skoglund Oil, Gene went to work for Friday Canning Corp. driving trucks from the fields to the plant. He was employed at Friday Canning (Lakeside) until the fall layoff of 2003.
Gene was preceded in death by his father John Francis; mother, Marie Leota; infant sister Margaret Helen; brothers, Thomas David and Richard Paul and sister-in-law Alice Cody.
Left to remember and celebrate his life with us are his wife of sixteen years Lois J. Cody; brothers, John Francis Cody and special friend Mary, St. Paul, Minn., Charles (Lorraine) Cody, Lindstrom, Minn., James (Arliss) Cody, New Richmond; sister-in-law Eleanor Cody, New Richmond; brother-in-law Ralph (Rosemary) Green, Eau Claire; sister-in-law Ardis (Ray) Winters of Hendersonville, N.C.; brother-in-law Bob (Jackie) O'Brien, Dayton, Minn.; Cecelia Cody, New Richmond; sons, Jerry (Cindy) Cody, New Richmond, Greg (Karen) Cody, New Richmond; daughter Janice Cody, New Richmond; grandson Eugene (Starlla) Cody; granddaughter Theresa (Cody) Nelson; grandson Timothy Cody and fiancee' Stefanie Graves; grandson Steve (Dana) Cody and granddaughter Michelle (Joel) Hammer; great-granddaughter Jessica Nelson and great-granddaughter Zachary Cody; step-daughter Penny (Gary) Bethke, New Richmond; step-grandchildren, Justin Bethke, Jessica Bethke and Jamie Bethke and step-great-granddaughter Olivia; nieces and nephews David, Mary, Jeannie, Lisa, Tom, Peggy, Donna, Carla, Annette, Robert, Susan and Cheryl. Gene was very proud of all his children but was especially fond of his three great-grandchildren.
Gene loved to travel, with Branson being a favorite destination. He was an avid fisherman who would fish whenever the opportunity presented itself and is survived by special fishing buddies Tim Cody, Gib Stenberg, Dick Kling, Jim Donahue, Jim Stephens, Ralph Green, Jerry Cody and Gary Bethke who all hope the fishin' is good up there.
Visitation was held at Cullen-Crea-Hegstrom Funeral Home from 4-8 p.m. April 18 with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. on April 19 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with visitation one hour prior to the service. Interment was in St. Bridget's Catholic Church cemetery in Stanton Township. Funeral arrangements are with Cullen-Crea-Hegstrom Funeral Home in New Richmond.
(New Richmond News - Thursday, April 22, 2004)
