Eugene Bennett
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Eugene (Gene) Stocks Bennett of Rigby, Idaho passed away April 8, 2021 in his home from a fall.
Gene was born October 8, 1945 in the Preston, Idaho Hospital to Barbara Stocks and Floyd Alton Bennett. He went to elementary school in Winder and later graduated from Preston High School.
He joined the Army and served most of his time in Germany.
He attended Ricks College in Rexburg after returning from the army and then transferred to the University of Idaho in Moscow. He followed in his brothers' footsteps by majoring in music.
He belonged to the Vandaleer Concert Choir, an organization who performed numerous musical events during the year throughout Southern Idaho. He also toured Europe with the group. He performed his senior recital in vocal performance. Gene was an active member of Opera Workshop, doing scenes from a variety of serious and comic operas to elementary schools in the area.
He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While he was a student of U of I he was the choir director of the LDS Singles Ward in Moscow.
He married Phyllis Hornbaucher in American Falls, Idaho. They were married for twenty-five years, but later divorced.
He loved hunting and fishing with his brothers. He also loved to sing and performed at many places. Gene was a choir and band director in several areas. He taught in Lyman Wyoming, in Firth, Mackay, and Aberdeen, Idaho. His last year was teaching the 6th through 8th grades in Mountain View Middle School in the Idaho Falls District.
He and his two brothers, Lynn and Wally Bennett presented concerts together with their band students three different years. Each year was where one of the brothers taught. Lynn, the oldest of the three, presented the first concert in American Falls where he lived. All band students of each brother performed with Lynn, Wally, and Gene directing different numbers that all the schools had learned. The next year, they performed in Mackay where Gene taught band, and the last of the three years, they performed as one group in Soda Springs where Wally taught.
Gene is survived by his sisters; Carolyn (Ed) Crawford of Pingree, ID; Launa (Rodney) Vaterlaus of Clinton, UT, and his brothers: Lynn (Alice) Bennett of Rigby, ID; and Wally (Carolyn) Bennett of Rexburg, ID, and 19 nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 AM Saturday, April 17, 2021 at Eckersell Funeral Home (101 W. Main Street, Rigby, ID). A viewing will be held at 10:30 AM prior to the service.
Interment will be in the Preston City Cemetery at 3:00 PM.
Condolences can be shared with the family at www.eckersellfuneralhome.com.