Gene Birch

Another old soldier returned home. At the age of 92, WWII veteran Gene Earl Birch passed away on Thursday, May 5, 2016, at the home of his son in Springville, Utah. He was surrounded by his children, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter. Gene was born on December 30, 1923, in Saint Anthony, Idaho, the fourth child of Earl and Georgie (Ziemer) Birch. He was raised on the family farm in Wilford, Idaho, and lived there until the family moved to St. Anthony. He attended elementary school in St. Anthony and then South Fremont High School, where he loved playing sports. He was very good at everything he played: basketball, football, and track. He even played cymbals in the band. After he graduated from high school, World War II broke out and Gene joined the army. He was a sharpshooter and was assigned to be a scout after being deployed to Germany. One day while scouting ahead for his platoon, he was captured and was a POW for 6 months until the war ended. Gene married Leona (Muffet) Gardner on November 27, 1943, and to this union were born three daughters and one son. The Birch family added a beautiful daughter from Costa Rica some years later. Gene and Muffet were sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple in July of 1993. Since the prospect of farming held no appeal for him, Gene went to work for the Union Pacific Railroad shortly after World War II and that became his career until he retired in 1984. Gene is survived by his daughter Vickie Jean (Don) Crow of Teton City, Idaho; daughter Sandra Kay Birch of Salt Lake City, Utah; son Thomas Bruce (Kathy) Birch of Springville, Utah; daughter Michelle De　La　Cruz of West Jordan, Utah; and daughter Leda Calderon (Dan) de Chavez of Sandy, Utah. He also leaves behind 16 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren, with a great-great grandchild on the way. Gene was preceded in death by his wife, Leona Gardner Birch; his parents, Earl and Georgie Ziemer Birch; two sisters; one brother; and one great-grandson. Services will be held 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 14,, 2016, in the Ammon First Ward building at 3000 Central Avenue in Ammon, Idaho. A viewing will be held from 10 to 11:30　a.m. prior to the service. Interment will follow that afternoon at the Teton/Newdale Cemetery in Teton, Idaho.

Funeral Services will be held