Everett Eugene “Gene” Penn, 84, of Columbia City, died Sunday, Dec. 31, at Parkview Whitley Hospital.

Gene was born July 24, 1933, in Bracken, to Everett J. and Lydia Lucille (Aughinbaugh) Penn. The birth took place in the living quarters upstairs. Everett and Lucille ran a small country store on the first level.  Lucille ran the store most of the time while Everett worked for various farmers in the surrounding area.

Gene started school in the rural South Whitley area. When Gene’s dad purchased a small farm south of North Manchester he had to change schools to the North Manchester school system. Gene attended school there until the family moved to Whitley County school area.  Gene transferred early so that he could have a formal eighth grade graduation that was not offered by North Manchester.  While attending South Whitley High School, Gene met Joe Metzger who was teaching agriculture and math.  With Joe’s guidance, Gene became very active in the Future Farmers of America and eventually he was elected as the state president after graduating in 1951. Gene had several scholarships offered and eventually decided to attend Purdue University.  He left Purdue early to join the Air Force and served his country during the Korean War.

After completing basic and specialty training, Gene was sent to Japan where he used his Purdue training to make major changes in how the military air traffic was handled.  These changes worked wonders for the aircrews.  When his assignment to Japan was completed, Gene was transferred to Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. His intention was to make the Air Force his lifelong profession, but the top-ranking officers convinced him that he could and should change to civilian life.

A team of officers arranged interviews with the several large companies in the Dayton area.  The result was an offer from the National Cash Register (NCR) Company. Gene accepted their offer in August of 1957.

For the next thirty-six and one half years, Gene gave his work career to NCR. He climbed the ladder of management from training salesman to Vice President of various areas around the world.  He and his wife, Jane, spent three years in South Africa, nine years in York, Pennsylvania, five years in Los Angeles, California and five years in Las Vegas, Nevada.  He retired in 1993.

Gene married the love of his life, Mary Jane McCain on Oct. 30, 1976, in Centerville, Ohio. They spent forty-one blissful years together.

Gene was a Mason and a member of the Zeredatha Lodge of York Pennsylvania, the Harrisburg Consistory in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and the Zembo Shrine in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Gene is survived by his loving wife, Jane; his loving sister, Joann (Joe) Rex; his loving children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, nieces, nephew and his brother in-law, Mitch McCain.

The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at Smith and Sons Funeral Home, Columbia City. The burial will be in the South Whitley Cemetery. The visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 pm Thursday at the funeral home.

Preferred memorials are to Indiana FFA or the Shriner Hospitals for Children.