Colonel Eugene Gibson Wentworth Jr. (U.S. Army Retired) of Fort Worth, formerly of Harker Heights, Texas went peacefully to his heavenly home on October 29, 2020.
He was born February 8, 1936 in Leavenworth Kansas to Eugene G. Wentworth Sr. and Dorothy Weeda Wentworth. Gene was born and raised in Leavenworth and graduated from Leavenworth High School as an Eagle Scout in 1954.
Upon graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1958, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Military Engineering, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry in the United States Army.
He graduated from the Infantry Officer Basic Course and became an Airborne, Ranger and Pathfinder graduate at Fort Benning, GA in 1958.
In December of that year, he married JoAnne Beverly Johnson (LHS Class of 1954), also of Leavenworth, which began a lifelong friendship and exemplary marriage that continued to this day. They have three children, and nine grandchildren.
Gene spent over 34 years as a soldier, serving both as an Infantry and as a Quartermaster Officer. His first assignment was with the 1st Battle Group, 20th Infantry, in Fort Gulick, the Canal Zone. In 1962, before departing Panama he completed Jungle Warfare School training. He then arrived at Fort Lee, VA to attend the Quartermaster Career Course prior to becoming an Instructor of Command and Staff subjects at the QM School. In 1965, he reported for duty as an Advisor in the Federal Republic of Vietnam. Upon returning Gene obtained a Master of Science Degree in Petroleum and Chemical Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh in 1968. He then became the Petroleum Planning Officer at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
He completed a second combat tour in Vietnam in 1971, and returned to Fort Leavenworth, KS to complete the Command and General Staff College. His next assignment was the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, TX as Commander of the 15th S&T Battalion and the Division G4. In 1975 he attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair, VA, then was assigned to the Pentagon. This led to his first tour in Europe to command the DISCOM of the 3rd Infantry Division in Wurzburg, Germany. Returning to the United States, He completed his military career at Fort Hood, TX and served as the G4 of III Corps until retiring from active duty in 1988.
Gene began his second career as the Director of Development and later as the Director of Advancement at the University of Central Texas from 1988 to 1994. He was then employed as the Patient Relations Coordinator at Metroplex Community Hospital in Killeen, TX until his retirement in 2001.
He was also deeply involved in volunteer work within the community, serving on as many as nine boards/committees at any given time. He was President of the Killeen Rotary Club, President of the COR-BELL Unit ACS, Vice President of the Greater Fort Hood Area United Way, and President of the Board of Directors of the Heart of Texas West Point Society. He was a trustee on the Foundation Board of Trustees and the Museum Foundation of the 1st Cavalry Division Association, a member of the AUSA, and an Officer and Member of the Board of Directors of the Vive Les Arts Theater Society. In all he served 7 years as a member of the community of the United Way. Gene was a member of the Greater Killeen Chamber of Commerce, having served a 10-year term as an ambassador for the Chamber, retiring from that role in 1999. One of his last major efforts as a volunteer was as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Heart of Texas West Point Society. He was named the Society's Distinguished Graduate in 2003. He also served as the Second Vice President for Membership on the Board of Directors of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). He was honored with the Distinguished Retiree of the Year Award in a ceremony at Fort Hood, TX in 2008.
Gene was a longtime member of St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Killeen. He was a true witness of his love for Jesus Christ and set a wonderful example to his family and friends. He loved to cook and he and his wife JoAnne thoroughly enjoyed being members of the Gourmet Club in Killeen for over 30 years. They travelled the world, cruised the seas, and in 2018 took a Caribbean Cruise celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary with all of their children and grandchildren, along with several family trips to Disneyworld and over twenty years of Oktoberfest celebrations in Fredericksburg, TX. They attended many reunions from both Leavenworth High School and the U.S. Military Academy over the years and have kept in touch with their extended family and numerous friends during their travelling days. Also, in his retirement, Gene had many great stories to share of his times of comradery spent in Scotch and Friends and The Board. Among some of his other past-times throughout his life included his adoring nature to God’s creatures, including his beloved dogs and grand dogs. Not only was he a memorable man, Gene had a wonderful sense of humor, he loved unconditionally and always strived to “do the right thing”. He was a man of integrity and he will be greatly missed.
Gene was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wife of 62 years JoAnne; son E. Gibson Wentworth III, wife Anne and children Gibson IV, Lauren, Luke, and Grace; Daughter Pamela JoAnne O’Rourke, husband Lt. Colonel (U.S. Army Retired) Terry Sr., and children Meredith, and Terry Jr.; Daughter Anne Grace Werschky, husband Lt. Commander (U.S. Navy Retired) Sam Sr., and children, Sam Jr., Dalton, and Blaine.
A Celebration of Life will be held on December 7th, from 5 to 7pm at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home 1615 South Fort Hood Rd, in Killeen. An inurnment with military honors will be held the following morning, Dec. 8th at 10am at Central Texas State Veteran’s Cemetery 11463 TX-195 in Killeen.
You may view a tribute video for Gene at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/killeen-tx/eugene-wentworth-9913788
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to USMA Association of Graduates, 698 Mills Rd., West Point, NY 10996 https://www.westpointaog.org/giveonline or St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, 2800 Trimmier Rd., Killeen, TX 76542 http://www.stchriskilleen.com
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