Emerson, Eugene LaVerne

Eugene LaVerne Emerson, 83, died Aug. 1, 2009, at the Montebello on Academy Health Care Center, Albuquerque, N.M. A memorial service will be held on Thursday at 10 a.m. at French University Chapel in Albuquerque. Interment will follow the memorial service at the Santa Fe National Cemetery at 2 p.m. in Santa Fe, N.M. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009, from 5 to 7 p.m., also at French Mortuary.

He was born in Lisbon, Iowa, on Aug. 26, 1925, the son of Stonerook and Helen Emerson. He graduated from Lisbon Public School in 1943 and was the class valedictorian. Gene served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. As part of his officer training, he attended the University of Notre Dame and received a Bachelor of Naval Science in 1946. He returned to the University of Notre Dame after his military service and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1950. While working at Cherry Burrell and Collins Radio in Cedar Rapids, Gene attended the University of Iowa, receiving a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1955. Gene, his wife Marie, and his infant son David then moved to Albuquerque and Gene began working at Sandia National Laboratories. He retired from Sandia 38 years later. His many interests included fishing, hiking, gardening, photography and hunting. Gene was an assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 285 and served as a local council leader of the Boy Scouts of America, receiving the District Scout Silver Beaver Award. He was a 50-year member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, serving as chairman of the New Mexico section. He served as President of the New Mexico Genealogical Society and was a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants. Gene also served as Treasurer of La Noche Garden Club.

He is survived by his loving wife of 57-plus years, Marie Katherine Unzeitig Emerson of Albuquerque; two sons, David and his wife Carolyn of Sugar Land, Texas, and Michael and his wife Kathryn Naassan of Albuquerque; three grandchildren, Lauren Emerson and Sara Emerson of Sugar Land and Julia Emerson of Albuquerque; his sister, Lenore Jones of Lisbon; and his brother-in-law, David Unzeitig of Cedar Rapids.

Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made in lieu of flowers to the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Foundation, www.copd

foundation.org or 2937 SW 27th Ave., Suite 302, Miami, FL 33133.