Eugene R. “Gene” Steensen, age 90, of Clinton, passed away on Friday, January 8, 2021 at Manor Care in Davenport. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at the Pape Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 PM Tuesday, January 12th at the funeral home where a Rose Croix service will be held at 7: 00 PM. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery.
Gene was born in Clinton on September 23, 1930, the son of Broder and Adeline (Richmann) Steensen. He graduated from Clinton High School in 1948. He married Jean Loehndorf on September 30, 1950 in Clinton. Jean passed away on October 13, 2015. Gene served with the US Army in Korea from 1951 – 1954. He was employed at E.I. DuPont for 36 years as an electrician, retiring in 1984. Gene was a member of Chancy Lutheran Church and had served on several church council positions. He was a 33rd Degree Mason and belonged to the Lyons Lodge for over 50 years.
He was a member of the American Legion, AMVETS and Loyal Order of Moose. As an AMVETS member Gene was on the Honor Guard for many years serving as a flag folder and had presented well over 1000 flags at funerals. Gene would go to Boy Scout Troop meetings and teach them how to fold a flag and what the flag stood for. He was a founding member of the Memorial Day Committee and was very proud of that service for the veterans. He was on the Monument Committee that raised finds for the Riverfront Veteran’s Monument. Gene had been a Director at RSVP and enjoyed helping out with the Holiday Network with his son Mark and former neighbor Harold Welcher.
Gene bowled on the Muffy’s Men Shop and Lyons’s Shoes teams at the Odeon for many years. He also bowled at the Recreation Lanes and later at the Plaza on the 55+ League. He had served on the Clinton Bowling Association was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1983. He continued to help and volunteer with the Association for many years. He coached Little League and later umpired games with his son Dan.
Gene enjoyed playing golf and lately, the poker games with his buddies from DuPont. He was an avid St. Louis Cardinal and Washington Redskins (Football Team) fan. He followed the Iowa Hawkeyes but most of all was proud of his family.
Gene is survived by his daughter, Gail Steensen; sons, Mark and Dan (Patricia) Steensen all of Clinton; a granddaughter, Ashley Steensen; grandsons, Aaron (Natalie) Mink of Fulton and Zach (Amberlyn) Mink of Clinton and 2 sisters-in-law, Jean (Walt) Austin of Lake Placid, Florida and Marie Steensen of Pinehurst of North Carolina. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Jean; brothers Don and Wayne Steensen and his father and mother-in-law, Henry and Rose Loehndorf. In lieu of flowers and plants memorials may be directed to the family and will go to some of Gene’s favorite charities.
The family would like to thank Iowa City VA, Mercy Home Health Care, Manor Care and Heartland Hospice for the wonderful care they gave to Gene.