An Open visitation for 93-year old William “Gene” Eyeberg of Atlantic will be held from 9:00 – 6:00 p.m. on Monday, November 23, 2020, at the Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Atlantic. Private family services will be held at Greenlawn Cemetery in Afton, Iowa.
William (Gene) Eugene Eyberg, a good man, was born on October 31, 1927, to Roy G. and Frances J. Eyberg in rural Union County, Iowa. He attended Arispe Consolidated School and graduated in 1945. Gene attended the ASTRP program at South Dakota State as an Army Reservist in 1945 and entered into active duty in December of 1945. After discharge from the service in December of 1946, he worked as a clerk for the State Patrol Office in Creston. Gene married Kathleen R. Erickson in Creston, Iowa, on December 14, 1947, at which time they farmed in Afton until 1965 and together had ten children. After leaving the farm, he owned a gas route for a short time and was then offered a job with the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), which enabled him to follow his passion of working with the land. He served in Creston and later transferred to Indianola (1970) and finished in Atlantic (1975). He retired from SCS in 1990.
Community and church were important to him, and he gave back by being active and serving in or on various clubs, boards, and councils. These include; 4H (leader), Extension Council, Union County Fair Board, Afton Methodist Church, the Councils of the local Lutheran Church of America in Indianola and Atlantic, Atlantic City Council for two terms, and 20 years on the SIRHA Executive Board in Creston.
Gene enjoyed much throughout his life, including family, church, gardening, fishing, hunting, watching football, playing cards and games. He loved to tell stories, and his face and eyes would light up when telling them. His greatest joy was his family and friends, and they were always first. He enjoyed his passion for woodworking for many years by building wooden toys and other items and gifting them to his family throughout the years. They were a highly anticipated event at Christmas.
Gene has left to now be with many; his parents, Roy and Frances Eyberg; siblings, Oliver (Florence) Eyberg, Gerald Eyberg and Mary (Robert) Smith; his mother and father-in-law, Pete and Lillie Erickson; daughter-in-law, Susan Eyberg; grandchildren, Todd Vanderpluym, Jordan Eyberg, Jamie (Ann) Eyberg and Joshua Vanderpluym.
Left behind to care for and love each other are Kathleen, his wife of 73 years; children, Bill (Connie), Kathy (Bob) Bye, Steve, Jim (Kristi), Jeff (Julie), Jane (Mike) Ohnemus, Deb Miller, Patti (Steve) Grant, Jill (Paul) Hans, Judy (Dennis) Kinen; 19 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and many in-laws, nieces, and nephews.
We will all miss his bright eyes when telling a story and his blessing on us during our times together.
