Eugene Mack Beason

Eugene "Gene" Mack Beason, passed away peacefully of natural causes at Villa St Francis on January 4, 2016 at the age of 91. Gene was born on a farm in Mound City, Ks on February 23, 1924. He was the first of two sons born to Henry Mack and Velma Ruth Herman Beason.

Gene attended school and graduated from high school in Mound City, Ks. Following graduation, he moved to Granite City , Illinois where he worked in a radio repair shop. With the onset of WWII, Gene enlisted in the U.S. Army Signal Corp in 1942. When he was given the opportunity he transferred to the Army Air Corp and entered pilot training.

After successfully completing fighter pilot training, Gene was stationed in England with the distinguished 56th Fighter Group known as Zemke's Wolfpack. Gene was a 1st Lieutenant in the 56th FG, 62nd Fighter Squadron. Gene flew sixty-five missions the European Theater from D-Day to February 1945 and became an Ace with five enemy planes destroyed..

After WWII, Gene returned to farming but was recalled to active duty in 1952 for the Korean War. During the war he served in Iceland as a Communications Officer.

Following his Korean War duty, Gene returned to Kansas and went to work with the Cessna Aviation Company as a electrician. In 1954, Gene was hired by The Boeing Company in Wichita as an electronics technician. Gene worked in many different locations for Boeing, including Wichita, Colorado Springs, and Seattle. Gene worked at Boeing in Seattle, Wa. From 1969 until his retirement in 1986. From Seattle, Gene moved to Olathe, Ks in 2003.

Gene enjoyed a number of hobbies, including being a member of numerous flying clubs, television repair, rock collecting, lapidary, writing, reading, genealogy and square dancing. His last Square Dance Club was Swingin' Singles where he excelled at Advanced Square Dancing. Later in his life, Gene very much enjoyed traveling and traveled to many different areas in North and Central America and Europe.

Gene is preceded death by his parents, brother Robert G. Beason, and wife Dorothy Jean Beason.

Gene is survived by his wife of the home, Joan Beason. Gene is also survived by his son, Dr. Robert C. Beason, daughter Janice M. Dyer (Ernest) and stepchildren Gayle Roberts (Jim), Diane Amundsen (Bob), Sharon Reese (John), Rose Goss (Kent), Lucille Bauer, David Bauer, Sharon Madrueno (Joe), and Stephanie Bauer, his grandchildren Bryan P. Dyer and wife Robin Rooks and their daughter Connor; Brent E. Dyer and wife Amy and their children Emmaline, John, and Thomas; and Zachary Beason and his wife Jenna and their children Jackson and Leah.


Memorials may be given to Crossroads Hospice.