Gene Gurney

Eugene "Gene" Warren Gurney left his perpetual list of projects and entered a place where nothing needs fixing. He was only 77 and no one was entirely ready. Those he left behind are a bit disoriented because Gene knew how to make things right. Without him, nothing fits together quite the same, and frankly, some things just aren’t finished. His wife, 3 children: Robin, Kurt, and Carri; 12 grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren plan to carry on his fixer legacy, once they pick up the pieces.

Gene was born December 10, 1942 into a fractured family. Whether this made him a fixer or whether God placed him into the family knowing he would weld it together, is anyone’s guess, but Gene loved his family and remained devoted to repairing and maintaining pleasant connections.

Growing up without a father presented many challenges, but goodly neighbors watched out for him. One man frequently invited little Gene to "help" build houses and taught him valuable carpentry skills. Gene spoke appreciatively of the kindness others bestowed on him and how their seemingly insignificant acts made an incalculable impact in the life of a fatherless boy.

His heart found a new rhythm when Tobie Russo, only 14 at the time, asked him to dance at the high school sock hop. After a few years of dating, they secretly planned to elope, but were pleasantly surprised to learn they didn’t have to. Gene had no parents at the wedding because his father had died years before and his mother was in a mental hospital. Gene and Tobie vowed to make their own family better. They were an inseparable team to the very last beat of his heart.

If it flew, drove, chopped, washed, warmed, or sheltered, he could build it and he would fix it. His favorite thing to fix was vintage cars. A tidy mechanic, his garage was orderly and clean, but never empty. The garage was his realm. An auto project always displayed prominently right in the middle and while he worked, the music of Elvis or classic country played from a small radio -- unless there was a race. He never missed a race. For a few years, he worked as a pit mechanic.

He didn’t like the interruption pancreatic cancer caused but respected the reminder that life here is temporary. He left his toolbox and some broken hearts behind on January 28, 2019. He was greeted on the other side by his parents Grace Stanley & Martin Edward Gurney Sr., his attentive big brother Martin Gurney, his analytical nephew Mark Gurney, and his charming granddaughter Risa Whitaker.

We celebrate our favorite fixer on Saturday, April 13th at 11:00 AM, 6925 North 15th East, Idaho Falls at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In his honor, we invite classic car owners to display their cars in the parking lot.

Gene is proof that one can rise above wreckage. He collected the best parts of life and made them function. Although he grew up without a father figure, he became an adoptive father to many. In his memory, we ask that you resolve to look for the good, offer help, share with those in need, critique less, help more, and fix whatever needs fixing.

Memorial Services will be held