Eugene Luithle

Eugene "Gene" K. Luithle, 75, died February 17, 2008, at home after an extended illness. Services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, February 23, at Evangel Assembly of God with Rev. Roger Will officiating. Burial with military honors will be at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, February 25, in the Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm Friday at Eastgate Funeral Service, Bismarck and will continue one hour prior to services at the church. Eugene was born November 8, 1932, at a rural Antelope, ND, home, the son of Karl and Lena Luithle. He attended Heart River No. 6 Elementary School and graduated from Hebron High School in 1950. He taught all eight grades at Heart River School No. 3 during the 1950-1951 school year. In the fall of 1951, Eugene began a 32-week electronics course at COIN Technical College in Chicago. He enlisted in the United States Air Force in December 1951 and completed basic training at Oakland AFB in California. After advanced training in radio/radar work, he was assigned to the 61st Troop Carrier Squadron at Ashiya, Japan. In April 1955, he was awarded "Wing Airman of the Month." After serving in Japan, he was transferred to the headquarters maintenance squadron at Dover Air Force Base, DE, and was honorably discharged with the rank of Staff Sergeant in December 1956. In 1957, Eugene entered the Milwaukee School of Engineering, but the death of his father in February of that year brought him back to the family farm, where he farmed until 1960. He began employment as an electronic technician with the Federal Aviation Agency at Fargo, ND, on September 1, 1960, and met his future wife, Jean Wibe, that same day. They were married on August 19, 1961, and lived in Fargo for one year until he purchased the family farm near Richardton, ND. He also worked part-time for the ASC and was a substitute school bus driver. Eugene farmed eight years in the Richardton area before purchasing a farm near Wilton in 1970. In addition to farming, he remodeled homes during winters, and in 1975, he remodeled the Regan Assembly of God Church he attended. He also attended a veteran's agriculture class at Bismarck Junior College from 1976 to 1978. Eugene retired in 1995 but continued to live on the farm until moving to Bismarck, ND, in 2001. Eugene served in many civic organizations and held positions on the Burleigh County Multidistrict Special Education Board, the Regan School Board, the Regan Farmers Union Elevator Board, and the Estherville Township Board. He was a past-commander of the Louis Ousley American Legion Post No. 163 and received the Rural Leadership Award given by the Bismarck Chamber of Commerce in 1972. While attending Evangel Assembly of God, he participated in the church van ministry. Eugene is survived by his wife of 46 years, Jean Luithle, Bismarck; one daughter and son-in-law, Marcia and Ralph Francis, Pocatello, ID; one son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Monica Luithle, Cleveland, TN; three grandsons, Jeffrey, Christian, and Timothy Luithle, Cleveland TN; one brother and his wife, Erwin and Phyllis Luithle, Spanaway, WA; and one brother-in-law, Ivan Wibe, Bisbee, ND. Eugene was preceded in death by his parents, Karl and Lena, and two brothers, Edwin and Doven.

Eugene Luithle

November 8, 1932 - February 17, 2008