Eugene Hutfles

Eugene 'Gene' Bernard Hutfles was born a the family farm south of Herndon, Kansas, the 3rd of 8 siblings. He passed away April 9, 2018 at the Collier Hospice Center in Wheat Ridge, CO at the age of 88.

Gene grew up at 'The midway' (the family farm midway between Atwood and Oberlin), attending high school 6 miles north in Herndon, KS where he participated in baseball, football and basketball, graduating in 1949, before enlisting in the United States Army, serving in Alaska from 1949 - 1951 during the Korean conflict.

After returning from the Army, he met Jannette Pollnow at a local dance; they were united in marriage at the St. Mary's Church in Herndon on September 8, 1954. After several seasons of farming the family land north of the Midway, Gene and Jannette moved to Arvada, CO where they started a family, raising four children.

Gene was a self-taught carpenter, working in the Arvada area his whole career. In retirement he continued wood working and donating time and his creations to St. Joan of Arc church as well as his friends and relatives. He loved puttering around his home and garage making picture frames and other projects right up until the day her moved to hospice.

Gene is survived by his four children, son Terry (Pat), Chuck (girlfriend Teri) Andy (Sherry) and daughter LaDawn 'Dee Dee' (Brian) Towell; four grandchildren, Lee (fiance Megan) Hutfles, Hannah (Adrian) Dalstra, and Erick Smith; one great grandson August ' Augie' Dalstra.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 57 years, Jannette (Pollnow) Hutfles, his parents Frank & Mary Hutfles, brother Arnold Hutfles and sister Sylvia Satther.