Eugene "Gene" Richard MillerMARION: Eugene "Gene" Richard Miller, age 95, of Marion passed away on Friday December 9, 2016 at Kingston Residence of Marion.Gene was born on Friday, January 28, 1921 in Marion to the late John and Bessie (Sims) Miller. He was one of 6 children.In 1940, Gene graduated from Harpster High School. During high school he played on the basketball team which won both the County and District tournaments and went on to the State tournaments in 1940. He was also a member of the FFA and active judging team while in high school.On Saturday, January 16, 1943 Gene married the love of his life, Charlotte Ann Davidson. Together they raised two wonderful daughters and enjoyed 69 years of marriage until Charlotte was called to prepare their heavenly home in 2012. After graduation he worked at Marion Metal, later working with his late father-in-law Foster A. Davidson on the family farm in Grand Prairie Township. In 1949 he left the farm to work at the DeKalb Poultry Farms, until four years later when he joined Walter Anderson to form the Anderson Miller Poultry Farms. Gene returned to the family farm in 1955 to do the farming for his wife's mother, Mrs. Hazel E. Davidson and her aunt Miss Marguerite Shoots. He farmed and/or managed the family farm until 2010, which in 1979 was incorporated and known as Shoots Davidson Farms, Inc. He held the offices of President and Director from the time the farm was incorporated until his death. In later years he was Farm Manager of the farm. Throughout the years you would always find him on some type of John Deere equipment. Until the summer of 2015, he mowed around the farm and homestead, of course, on his John Deere riding lawn mowing - with umbrella on top to shield the sun.Gene and Charlotte loved camping and traveling. They vacationed in 49 states plus Canada. For years, Gene and Charlotte planned a trip to Alaska. They wanted, and succeeded in 1978 traveling to Alaska in a slide-in camper on the back of Gene's pickup truck, before the roads leading to Alaska were paved. In later years, they camped in the Amish area around Winesburg, Walnut Creek and Berlin, Ohio. They thoroughly enjoyed getting up in the morning and striking out on a less traveled back road to see the countryside. Gene enjoyed playing checkers and horseshoes. In later years, cornhole was his passion. He and his grandson, Erik Reish, won the Central Christian Church Cornhole Championship two years in a row. He enjoyed watching sports: Ohio State football and basketball, college basketball, Cincinnati Reds baseball and NASCAR.Gene also took great pride and pleasure in antique cars. With help from the late Lester Underwood, he restored a 1921 Model T Ford. He also owned a 1919 Model T Roadster and a 1951 Plymouth Cranbrook also known as "Pearl" by the family.A tribute from a family member in Wyoming states: Uncle Gene was a kind and gentle man. I felt accepted as a member of the family the first time I met him. I remember him showing me the old Ford he rebuilt. It was so well done and clean one could have fried eggs on the manifold for breakfast. He had the value "take care of your tools and they will take care of you". He applied that value to the farm, farming, family, life, etc. He was easy to love and respect. Gene will be dearly missed by his daughters Rebecca (Mike) Thiel and Brenda (Richard) Reish; grandchildren Anndalene (Dana) Queen, Bradley (Alison) Campbell, Kathryn (Ben) Milligan, and Erik Reish; great grandchildren Kimberly, Jacob, Tyson, and Brandon Queen, Faith Reynolds, and Meredith and Miles Milligan, and several nieces, nephews and their families.Gene was greeted at the gates of heaven by his parents, loving wife, brother Andrew B. Miller, and four sisters Irene Ours Force, Madge Curl Weimer, Betty Scheff, and June Daum.Gene's family will greet family and friends on Sunday, December 18, 2016 from 3pm to 6pm at the Central Christian Church, 421 Mount Vernon Ave, Marion. Services celebrating his life will be at the church on Monday, December 19, 2016 at 10:30 am with Pastor Merlyn Winters officiating. Burial will take place at Grand Prairie Cemetery. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to Joyce's Angels, 277 Kensington Pl, Marion, Ohio 43302, or the Central Christian Church Shoe Box Ministry, 421 Mt. Vernon Ave., Marion, Ohio 43302.Snyder Funeral Homes of Marion are honored to have been chosen to serve Gene's family and condolences may be left for them by visiting www.SnyderFuneralHomes.com