Gene F. Schiedermayer

Gene Frank Schiedermayer died at home of pulmonary fibrosis Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013, at age 82. He was born Dec. 2, 1930, in Appleton, Wis., to August and Luella Krause Schiedermayer. Gene attended grade and high school in Kaukauna, Wis.

After attending the University of Wisconsin for two years, Gene joined the Air Force in 1951 during the Korean War and entered pilot training. He married Jan Vanevenhoven, also of Kaukauna, in January of 1954. Gene flew both fighters and B-52 bombers during his 23 years of service. He flew 125 combat missions in the F-4 Phantom fighter during the Vietnam conflict (1968-1969). He earned both his bachelor and master degrees while on active duty. In addition to his active flying career, Gene also served as an aeronautical engineer, a Minuteman missile combat crew commander and a computer squadron commander in Germany.

In 1974 Gene retired from the Air Force and moved from Germany to Missoula. He then taught computer science at the University of Montana for 15 years. The class of 1987 presented Gene with the coveted "Most Inspirational Faculty" award, an award which pleased him greatly because it came from the students. Upon retiring from the university, Gene served as a contractor for Montana Vocational Rehabilitation, providing computer expertise to multitudes of Montanans who live with disabilities.

Throughout his life, Gene loved to hunt and fish, and he taught his sons the same. He was a man of faith and an active Catholic. He was characterized by kindness, integrity and a great sense of humor. He will be sorely missed by the people who knew him.

Survivors include his wife, Jan; six sons, Mark/Nelda, Craig/Karen, Andrew/Connie, Scott/Wanda, Eric/Koena and Paul/Barbi; 18 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; his brother Larry/Audrey; and many wonderful nephews and nieces.

Mass of the Resurrection will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 21, at St. Anthony Parish in Missoula, preceded by a rosary at 10:30 a.m. Luncheon to follow in the Parish Center. Interment with military honors at the Western Montana State Veterans Cemetery will be at 3:15 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to Fisher House Foundation Inc., for wounded veterans, at 111 Rockville Place, Suite 420, Rockville, MD 20850-5168.

Arrangements are under the direction of Garden City Funeral Home and Crematory.

Read Gene Schiedermayer's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.