In Loving Memory
Gene E. Fokken
December 27, 1930 - April 26, 2019

SERVICE
Saturday, July 13, 2019
1:00 P.M.
Martin-Mattice Funeral Home
Emmetsburg, Iowa

INURNMENT
Evergreen Cemetery
Emmetsburg, Iowa

Gene E. Fokken, age 88 of Crossville, Tennessee passed away on April 26, 2019 while traveling in Uzbekistan with his son.

Memorial services will be held at Martin-Mattice Funeral Home, Emmetsburg, Iowa on Saturday, July 13, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. Burial is at Evergreen Cemetery with a reception to immediately follow.

The first of six children, Gene was born December 27, 1930 on the family farm near Mallard, Iowa to John and Talena Fokken.   He attended Mallard High School, graduating in 1949. On August 19, 1951 Gene married Helen Wening, his high school sweetheart whom he met in first grade.

A passionate life-long learner and educator, he graduated from Iowa State Teacher's College in 1952. Gene continued his education and obtained his Masters Degree in 1958 and his Doctorate of Education from Iowa State University in 1976.

Gene's teaching career began in 1953 at Lake Center School, a small rural school between Terril and Dickens, Iowa. While he taught science, typing, driver education, and even drove the school bus, his passion in those early years was coaching high school basketball. In 1966 his career as an educator moved from teaching to administration when he landed his first position as Superintendent with Ayrshire Consolidated Schools. He continued in that role at several schools in northwest and central Iowa.

Gene & Helen retired in 1990 to the shores of West Lake Okoboji . For 15 years they ran "Grandma and Grandpa's lake house", where every summer, and even a few winters, they watched their 7 grandchildren grow and like them, come to forever love 'The Lake'. In 2006 they decided in favor of the no-snow beauty of Las Cruces New Mexico where they lived until his beloved Helen passed in 2013 after 62 years of marriage.

Gene and Helen were also avid travelers; they crossed six continents touring dozens of countries. But even with all their travels still Gene loved their time at Okoboji and Las Cruces, and visiting his children and grandchildren. Another of Gene's passions was genealogy. He compiled a family tree back to 16 ^th century Germany and wrote the story of the Fokken family before and during their move to the US from Germany in the early 20 ^th century. At age 78 he began taking German classes to learn the language of his grandparents. He enjoyed bridge, golf, reading history books and watching both the Iowa State Cyclones and Iowa Hawkeyes.

Gene is survived by his daughter Gail (Chris) Sieber, Lewisville, Texas; daughter Valerie (Harry) Stowell, Crossville, Tennessee; and son Michael (Nelly) Fokken, Annandale, New Jersey. He is survived by 7 grandchildren Ryan Peterson (Amy); Elissa (Kurt) Kojzarek, Talena (William) Smith, Randall (Stephanie) Andrews, Kaitlyn (Jason) Moore, Timothy Fokken and Brian Fokken; 7 great grandchildren Robert and Charles Kojzarek; Harriett and Fiona Smith; Findlay Andrews and Everleigh and Foster Moore; two sisters Marian Clark and Joyce Marron, a brother John Fokken and many nieces and nephews.

Gene is preceded in death by his wife, Helen Fokken, his parents John and Talena Fokken and 2 brothers, Gary Fokken and Paul Fokken.