Eugene “Gene” Crain, son of the late Marcus and Edna (Patrick) Crain, was born April 11, 1935, in Memphis, Tennessee, and passed away January 25, 2024, at Autumn Oaks Caring Center in Mountain Grove, Missouri. He was 88 years, 9 months, and 14 days of age.
Gene’s family moved to the Houston, Missouri, area when he was a teen where he graduated from Houston High School. As a young man, Gene worked with the Texas County Sheriff’s Department and the Houston Police Department for several years as the only motorcycle officer in the area at that time.
Gene loved to play the guitar and sing. He was a part of several bands and was also featured on a local television station. Motorcycles were Gene’s passion in life. He loved all motorcycles but he was especially fond of Harley Davidsons. He owned several motorcycles throughout the years and had a shop where he worked on and built many motorcycles. He had many friends in the motorcycle community who also shared his passion.
Gene was a great gardener. He grew wonderful tomatoes and beautiful zinnias and roses. Gene was a collector of things – collectibles and well, everything. If you needed it, he had it. If he didn’t have it, he could use what he had to make something that would work. Gene never met a stranger. He loved people and enjoyed spending time with family and friends.
Besides his parents, Gene was preceded in death by one brother, Noble Caldwell, and his beloved wife of 35 years, Olive Crain.
He is survived by his wife, Katherine, two sons, James Smith of Springfield, Missouri, and Greg Ellis of Lucedale, Mississippi, two daughters, Edna Livingston and husband, Chad, of Jefferson City, Missouri, and Heather Crain of Republic, Missouri, nine grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and many other friends who will miss him.
Visitation: Friday, February 2, 2024, 2:00 – 3:00pm Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home – Mountain Grove.
