Wallace Eugene “Gene” Dugan, 88, died Wednesday (August 26, 2015) at the Via Christi Village-Ridge Plaza in Wichita.
He was born on July 3, 1927 in Gowen, Oklahoma, the son of George Wallace and Ida Patrick Dugan. The family moved to Southeastern Oklahoma where Gene was raised and graduated from Haleyville High School.
During World War II, Gene served in the U.S. Army. He married Charlotte Maxine Peak on February 4, 1949 in Denison, Texas. They moved to Wilburton, Oklahoma where they both attended Eastern State College and later moved to Tahlequah where Gene attended Northeastern State College. While living in the lake area Gene enjoyed water skiing.
The Dugan’s moved to Wichita in 1951. Gene did construction work for a short period of time before going to work at Cessna Aircraft. He was a Cost Estimater in the Accounting Department until retiring. In 1989, Gene and Maxine moved to Rural Sedgwick, Ks. where they raised horses and were very active with the Kansas Western Horsemen Association.
Gene had been a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Newton and the American Legion in Sedgwick. The Dugan’s moved to the retirement village in Wichita in 2012.
Survivors include his wife Maxine of Wichita; daughters Sheila Bazil and her husband Gaylon of Wichita and Mon Lawrence and Tim Rainey of Sedgwick; brother, Jim Bob Dugan of Rathdrum, Idaho; sisters Wanda Nelson of McAlister, Okla., Sharon and Betty; grandchildren Beth Long and husband Chris, Janine Clayton and husband Matt, Craig Bazil and wife Vanessa, Connie Jacob and husband Jay, Laramie Lawrence and companion Travis McDaniel; and six great grandchildren.
Gene is preceded in death by his father George, mother Ida Karr, and four siblings.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 A.M., Monday (August 31, 2015) at the St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 3642 N. Ridge Road, Wichita. Interment will be in the Hillside Cemetery in Sedgwick.
The casket will be open at the funeral home on Sunday after 1:00pm, where the family will receive friends between 6 and 8.
A memorial has been established with the Wounded Warrior Project, contributions may be sent to Broadway Colonial Funeral Home, 120 E. Broadway, Newton, Ks. 67114.
Arrangements are by Broadway Colonial Funeral Home, Newton.