Gene Cohenour

Gene W. Cohenour, (Peewee), 85, was born June 2, 1930, at Butte to James W. and Leona Ruth Lyle Cohenour. On June 24, 2015, he said his goodbyes to his loved ones, put his saw over his shoulder and is now working and living with no more pain.

Gene met Sharren J. Vinson in 1957. They were married on August 22, 1958, and lived and loved each other for 56 and 3/4 years. Gene started work at J. Neils in 1956, and continued his employment through St. Regis, Champion and Stimson Lumber Company. He became a sawyer in 1962, and worked for over 20 years without an accident. When the woods shut down, he continued to work in the plywood plant, until he retired in 1993. Gene was drafted into the Army on his 21st birthday in 1951. He trained to be a radio wireman. He was shipped to Okinawa and served for a year and a half as a mechanic until being honorably discharged in 1953.

During the years that his son played ball, he would work for hours on the baseball fields, raking, hauling dirt, picking rocks, painting the fence and marking the lines for the teams of the Little League, Babe Ruth and the American Legion teams. He was always there when they needed help. He always felt it was something good to do for the young boys of the community.

He loved bowling, and bowled with a top team every Monday night on Delbert Carr’s team. Later in the bowling years, he joined the Grandpa-Grandma league and enjoyed the teammates and the slower pace of game.

Gene joined the IOOF Cabinet Odd Fellows in May of 1995, and went through the chairs of the lodge, and was the Noble Grand for several years. He enjoyed the work that the organization did for the community. He became a very good cotton candy maker. The cotton candy crew will miss his right hand.

Fishing and hunting was a pleasure, taking advantage of being out with the peaceful hills, the wild animals and creeks and lakes of the area.

Gene was preceded in death by his sister Morna Cohenour Bennett; mom and dad; and his brothers Robert and John Cohenour II.

Gene’s survivors include his wife Sharren, Libby; daughters Morna Taminich, (Nick), Ventura, Calif., and Michelle J. Lamey, Libby; son Mark Cohenour (Debbie) Libby;  five grandchildren, Jolene Kvapil Williams, (Clint) Libby, Nicholas Taminich (Kelly) and Gene Taminich (Brystal) Ventura, Calif., and Jake and Kyle Cohenour, Libby; four great-grandchildren, Steven, Aspen, Kimber, and Madisyn; his brother James W. Cohenour (Kayo), (Shirley) Frenchtown; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, August 1, 2015, at the City of Libby Cemetery, at the Odd Fellow Plot. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Gene’s name to the Little League, Babe Ruth, and the American Legion baseball teams. Arrangements are by Schnackenberg & Nelson Funeral Home in Libby.  Online condolences and memorials may be made to www.schnackenbergfh.com