Our Dad, Eugene (Gene) Frank Cutts of Cottage Grove, Oregon, died on June 16, 2016 at the age of 94 years. He was the sixth of seven children born to William Robert Cutts and Nettie Matilda Witt in Sidney, Iowa.
Dad grew up in southwestern Iowa on farms where his parents share-cropped. He attended Grade School in a one room schoolhouse where he was tasked with building a fire, when needed, for a nickel a time. Gene graduated from Iowa’s Shenandoah High School in 1939.
Dad met our Mom, Alma Pearl Hodson, on a blind-date and married her December 14, 1941. He served in the Navy during World War II from October, 1942 until November, 1945. He and Mom moved to Cottage Grove, Oregon in 1946 and opened an auto repair shop and towing service. Then, from 1959 until 1980 Dad owned various car and truck dealerships in this same town.
Dad is remembered for a very giving spirit. He always found time to lend a helping hand to family as well as strangers and was known as quite a handyman. He built us a playhouse, skillfully accomplished major remodeling on our house, and built a vacation cabin at Crescent Creek. -- Dad also made time to do volunteer work in Cottage Grove, from being a volunteer fireman for 12 years to his help in building the local race track.
Dad was very civic minded and held many leadership positions in various organizations. In Cottage Grove, Dad was elected Cottage Grove's Junior First Citizen in 1955, Boss of the Year in 1968, and was given the JCI Senatorship in 1968. Dad was active in, and served as an officer in, each of the Oregon and National Independent Car Dealers Associations.
Dad was an ambitious, hardworking, reliable, and honest businessman. He was known for his unique "no barter" approach to vehicle sales. He would set a fair market price for his vehicles and "that was that". -- We remember Dad sacrificing for his family many times to provide opportunities for us, working many long hours to provide and care for our family.
Our memories of Dad are not complete without thoughts of Mom as well, since they were always together--best friends and companions--whether at work in the office, in the Motorcycle or Dance Club, RVing, or at home. Family and friends were very important to them as evidenced in much of their lives, from their hosting many family reunions to family vacations and all their social and civic involvement. They were "good folk" -- generous, honest, hardworking, and very loving. Their commitment and devotion to one another was punctuated by a marriage of 71 years! -- We thank God for blessing us with such special parents!
Dad was preceded in death by Mom in 2013, our brother Kenneth in 1970, his parents and six siblings. He is survived by his daughters Sharron (Ron) Gibson, Carolyn (Bruce) Rippy, and Colleen (Darrel) Hanson, as well as his 11 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren. Written by family members.
Dad grew up in southwestern Iowa on farms where his parents share-cropped. He attended Grade School in a one room schoolhouse where he was tasked with building a fire, when needed, for a nickel a time. Gene graduated from Iowa’s Shenandoah High School in 1939.
Dad met our Mom, Alma Pearl Hodson, on a blind-date and married her December 14, 1941. He served in the Navy during World War II from October, 1942 until November, 1945. He and Mom moved to Cottage Grove, Oregon in 1946 and opened an auto repair shop and towing service. Then, from 1959 until 1980 Dad owned various car and truck dealerships in this same town.
Dad is remembered for a very giving spirit. He always found time to lend a helping hand to family as well as strangers and was known as quite a handyman. He built us a playhouse, skillfully accomplished major remodeling on our house, and built a vacation cabin at Crescent Creek. -- Dad also made time to do volunteer work in Cottage Grove, from being a volunteer fireman for 12 years to his help in building the local race track.
Dad was very civic minded and held many leadership positions in various organizations. In Cottage Grove, Dad was elected Cottage Grove's Junior First Citizen in 1955, Boss of the Year in 1968, and was given the JCI Senatorship in 1968. Dad was active in, and served as an officer in, each of the Oregon and National Independent Car Dealers Associations.
Dad was an ambitious, hardworking, reliable, and honest businessman. He was known for his unique "no barter" approach to vehicle sales. He would set a fair market price for his vehicles and "that was that". -- We remember Dad sacrificing for his family many times to provide opportunities for us, working many long hours to provide and care for our family.
Our memories of Dad are not complete without thoughts of Mom as well, since they were always together--best friends and companions--whether at work in the office, in the Motorcycle or Dance Club, RVing, or at home. Family and friends were very important to them as evidenced in much of their lives, from their hosting many family reunions to family vacations and all their social and civic involvement. They were "good folk" -- generous, honest, hardworking, and very loving. Their commitment and devotion to one another was punctuated by a marriage of 71 years! -- We thank God for blessing us with such special parents!
Dad was preceded in death by Mom in 2013, our brother Kenneth in 1970, his parents and six siblings. He is survived by his daughters Sharron (Ron) Gibson, Carolyn (Bruce) Rippy, and Colleen (Darrel) Hanson, as well as his 11 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren. Written by family members.
Our Dad, Eugene (Gene) Frank Cutts of Cottage Grove, Oregon, died on June 16, 2016 at the age of 94 years. He was the sixth of seven children born to William Robert Cutts and Nettie Matilda Witt in Sidney, Iowa.
Dad grew up in southwestern Iowa on farms where his parents share-cropped. He attended Grade School in a one room schoolhouse where he was tasked with building a fire, when needed, for a nickel a time. Gene graduated from Iowa’s Shenandoah High School in 1939.
Dad met our Mom, Alma Pearl Hodson, on a blind-date and married her December 14, 1941. He served in the Navy during World War II from October, 1942 until November, 1945. He and Mom moved to Cottage Grove, Oregon in 1946 and opened an auto repair shop and towing service. Then, from 1959 until 1980 Dad owned various car and truck dealerships in this same town.
Dad is remembered for a very giving spirit. He always found time to lend a helping hand to family as well as strangers and was known as quite a handyman. He built us a playhouse, skillfully accomplished major remodeling on our house, and built a vacation cabin at Crescent Creek. -- Dad also made time to do volunteer work in Cottage Grove, from being a volunteer fireman for 12 years to his help in building the local race track.
Dad was very civic minded and held many leadership positions in various organizations. In Cottage Grove, Dad was elected Cottage Grove's Junior First Citizen in 1955, Boss of the Year in 1968, and was given the JCI Senatorship in 1968. Dad was active in, and served as an officer in, each of the Oregon and National Independent Car Dealers Associations.
Dad was an ambitious, hardworking, reliable, and honest businessman. He was known for his unique "no barter" approach to vehicle sales. He would set a fair market price for his vehicles and "that was that". -- We remember Dad sacrificing for his family many times to provide opportunities for us, working many long hours to provide and care for our family.
Our memories of Dad are not complete without thoughts of Mom as well, since they were always together--best friends and companions--whether at work in the office, in the Motorcycle or Dance Club, RVing, or at home. Family and friends were very important to them as evidenced in much of their lives, from their hosting many family reunions to family vacations and all their social and civic involvement. They were "good folk" -- generous, honest, hardworking, and very loving. Their commitment and devotion to one another was punctuated by a marriage of 71 years! -- We thank God for blessing us with such special parents!
Dad was preceded in death by Mom in 2013, our brother Kenneth in 1970, his parents and six siblings. He is survived by his daughters Sharron (Ron) Gibson, Carolyn (Bruce) Rippy, and Colleen (Darrel) Hanson, as well as his 11 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren. Written by family members.
Dad grew up in southwestern Iowa on farms where his parents share-cropped. He attended Grade School in a one room schoolhouse where he was tasked with building a fire, when needed, for a nickel a time. Gene graduated from Iowa’s Shenandoah High School in 1939.
Dad met our Mom, Alma Pearl Hodson, on a blind-date and married her December 14, 1941. He served in the Navy during World War II from October, 1942 until November, 1945. He and Mom moved to Cottage Grove, Oregon in 1946 and opened an auto repair shop and towing service. Then, from 1959 until 1980 Dad owned various car and truck dealerships in this same town.
Dad is remembered for a very giving spirit. He always found time to lend a helping hand to family as well as strangers and was known as quite a handyman. He built us a playhouse, skillfully accomplished major remodeling on our house, and built a vacation cabin at Crescent Creek. -- Dad also made time to do volunteer work in Cottage Grove, from being a volunteer fireman for 12 years to his help in building the local race track.
Dad was very civic minded and held many leadership positions in various organizations. In Cottage Grove, Dad was elected Cottage Grove's Junior First Citizen in 1955, Boss of the Year in 1968, and was given the JCI Senatorship in 1968. Dad was active in, and served as an officer in, each of the Oregon and National Independent Car Dealers Associations.
Dad was an ambitious, hardworking, reliable, and honest businessman. He was known for his unique "no barter" approach to vehicle sales. He would set a fair market price for his vehicles and "that was that". -- We remember Dad sacrificing for his family many times to provide opportunities for us, working many long hours to provide and care for our family.
Our memories of Dad are not complete without thoughts of Mom as well, since they were always together--best friends and companions--whether at work in the office, in the Motorcycle or Dance Club, RVing, or at home. Family and friends were very important to them as evidenced in much of their lives, from their hosting many family reunions to family vacations and all their social and civic involvement. They were "good folk" -- generous, honest, hardworking, and very loving. Their commitment and devotion to one another was punctuated by a marriage of 71 years! -- We thank God for blessing us with such special parents!
Dad was preceded in death by Mom in 2013, our brother Kenneth in 1970, his parents and six siblings. He is survived by his daughters Sharron (Ron) Gibson, Carolyn (Bruce) Rippy, and Colleen (Darrel) Hanson, as well as his 11 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren. Written by family members.
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