Eugene Carl Floerchinger |
| Posted 2008-07-28 by Judy Wight Branson |
| Eugene Carl Floerchinger Gene Floerchinger was born on his family's homestead near Ledger, Mont., to Francis Xavier and Helen Clara (Theis) Floerchinger on May 11, 1920. He died as he wished, in the presence of his children, on Sept. 12, 2005, at the Northern Arizona Veteran's Administration Medical Center in Prescott. Although Gene had only one sibling, a sister, Irene, he grew up surrounded by aunts, uncles and cousins. Gene attended school in Montana, and after high school graduation, rather than join the family wheat farming tradition, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corp and was stationed at Glacier National Park, where he worked as a radio operator. This fortuitous move shaped his future. When WWII broke out, Gene joined the Army. His previous experience as a radio operator landed him in the Signal Corp at Two Rock Ranch near Petaluma, Calif., where he supervised a unit intercepting enemy messages. There he met his future wife, Pauline Noles, whom he married when the war ended and with whom he celebrated a sixtieth wedding anniversary on Feb. 4, 2005. In 1945, Gene began his 32-year career with the Civil Aeronautics (Federal Aviation) Agency. This career change led him from San Francisco to Ogden and Hanksville, Utah; Ajo, Arizona; Whitehall, Mont.; Arcata and Red Bluff, Calif.; and finally, in 1957, to Prescott. Along the way, Gene and Polly had four girls, one born on each of the borders of the United States. Carol Jean was born in Salisbury, N.C.; Ginger in San Francisco, Calif.; Barbara in Ajo, Ariz.; and Elizabeth in Butte, Mont. Throughout his life he commented on how happy he was and how much he appreciated having a family. Gene not only was a family-centered man, but loved people. He could be counted on to make friends wherever he went, even at the Northern Arizona VA Medical Center Hospice Unit to the very end of his life. A natural curiosity made Gene a life-long learner. He enjoyed reading and told a story about reading every book in the local library when he was young and reading them at least twice. He laughed that although that sounded impressive, there were not that many books in the library at that time. Gene loved nature and was an encyclopedia of knowledge about plants, animals, weather and geology. After he retired, he took classes in art and biology at Yavapai College. Everyday, he read books and magazines about nature, history and astronomy. He often started a conversation by saying 'I just saw, learned, and heard the most interesting thing.' Gene loved nature enjoying hunting, fishing, camping, and long rides on dusty back roads. He gave back to nature, too. He volunteered for several years on the Willow Lake Pronghorn project and worked on projects for the Arizona Big Horn Sheep Society. He fulfilled his last wish by going dove hunting just days before his death. Gene is survived by daughters, Ginger (Tom) Franks, Barbara (Ed) Gorton, and Elizabeth Floerchinger; grandchildren, Marshall (Lu) and Gene (Teresa) Topping, and Elizabeth and Allie Gorton; great-grandchildren, Geena, Thomas, Mia and Sophia Topping; and step-great grandchildren, Corey and Lexie Streeter. He is also survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews, and longtime friends. A memorial Mass will be held at 1 p.m., Friday, Sept. 16th, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 150 Fleury Avenue in Prescott. A late luncheon honoring the lives of both Gene and Polly Floerchinger will follow at 2:30 p.m., at the Gurley Street Grill, 230 W. Gurley Street, Prescott. Donations in Gene's memory, can be made to: Arizona Big Horn Sheep Society, P.O. Box 21705, Mesa, Az., 85277, or Arizona Game and Fish Department Prescott Antelope Project, Attention Bob Posey, 5325 N. Stockton Hill Road, Kingman, Az., 86401 Heritage Memory Mortuary, 131 Grove Ave., Prescott, Arizona. |
Note: These obituaries are transcribed as published and are submitted by volunteers who have no connection to the families. They do not write the obituaries and have no further information other than what is posted within the obituaries. We do not do personal research. For this you would have to find a volunteer who does this or hire a professional researcher.
Questions About This Project?