Eugene (Gene) Piquet

GENE PIQUET IDAHO FALLS, ID -- Eugene Albert "Gene" Piquet, 91, departed this life, after a heroic battle fighting for his 9th life, on Monday, March 5, 2007, at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. Gene was born on July 10, 1915, at the family home in Bates, Idaho to Augustus “Gus” Constance Piquet and Mary Martin Piquet, who were early pioneers to Bates. He was raised and educated in the Bates area and graduated from Driggs High School and LDS Seminary in May 1936. He was one of the first to graduate from the First National Television School in Kansas City, Missouri in April 1937 at the top of his class with a FCC First Class Broadcasting License. Gene was married to Dorothy Kopach of Charleroi, Pennsylvania on February 7, 1951. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple on January 5, 1977. Together they had five children, one son and four daughters. Gene also is the father of one son from a previous marriage. He was a faithful member and High Priest in the LDS Church. He was firm in his testimony of the restored gospel, and looked forward to one day being reunited forever with his family and friends that had preceded him in death. Gene was known for his humility, integrity and hard work. Even as a young man he was noted as being a special person. The Los Angeles Times printed a story about him in 1942 entitled, “Gene Piquet—A Swell Guy.” During the summers of 1933-1938 he worked as an exemplary employee on the Snake River Ranch in Jackson, Wyoming. In 1937 he moved to Los Angeles for work opportunities. During WWII he worked at the Douglass Aircraft Santa Monica plant assisting in the war effort. After the war, he worked at Kierluff Electronics, where he pioneered stereo sound and became friends with the Marx Brothers and other famous celebrities. Gene loved the sound of good music. He was a pioneer in the radio and sound industry both in California and Idaho, a business that he dearly loved from his youth. He was the first to bring television and stereo sound to Southeastern Idaho, when he returned to his home state in 1953. He founded PK’s Electronics (now El-Gene’s) in Rexburg and later Gene’s Radio & Sound and Eastern Idaho Music in Idaho Falls. He was also the founder of KGVM (now KUPI) in Idaho Falls and KSIH (now KPKY, which was named in his honor) in Pocatello. One of his other great loves was to travel and explore the world, which he was able to accomplish and enjoy during the last 25-years of his life by traveling to 17 countries and all 50 States. Gene was proud to accomplish his goal of visiting every state by taking an ocean cruise to Hawaii in 2004. Gene was a master story teller. He loved to share his life’s stories with friends, family and even strangers. He epitomizes the final words from the movie The Big Fish — “A man tells a story so many times, he becomes the story; and, in that way, he becomes immortal”. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 56 years, Dorothy, loving children, Karen Eugenia (Richard) Martin, Provo, Utah; Leonard Eugene Piquet, Idaho Falls; Doreen Renae (Kevin) Burke, Idaho Falls; and Paulette (Hilton) Campbell, Ft. Collins, Colorado; 14 treasured grandchildren; sister, Donetta (John) Virgil, California; brother, Monte (Ilene) Piquet, Idaho Falls; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends from across the country. He was preceded in death by his infant daughter, Mary Ellen, parents, brothers Martin and Newell Piquet, and sisters Mattie Murdock, Ethel James, and Inez Bagley. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, March 12, 2007, at the Idaho Falls LDS Lincoln Ward, 3700 East Lincoln Road. The family will visit with friends Sunday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Wood Funeral Home, 273 N. Ridge, and Monday from 10 to 10:45 a.m. at the church. Gene will be interred next to his daughter, Mary Ellen, at the Bates, Idaho, Cemetery near his childhood home - overshadowed by a magnificent view of his beloved Grand Tetons. -----------------------------------------------------