Gene Kerbel

Gene C. Kerbel of Fort Morgan, CO, formerly of Fort Collins was born October 27, 1928 to Conrad and Eva Specht Kerbel, the youngest of six children. He was raised in Fort Collins and graduated in 1946 from Fort Collins High School where he was a member of the 1945 and 1946 Fort Collins State Championship Basketball Team. After graduation he attended Colorado State University before enlisting in the Army and serving in the Korean War. He returned from the Korean War in 1953 and worked on the family farm until his marriage to Shirley Ann Weitzel in 1954. He then moved to Wellington where he farmed and fathered two children, Deborah Ann and Stephen Eugene. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, past president of the Wellington Lions Club, and a member of the Elks Lodge. In 1984 he married Jean Lobdell and moved to Oakland Acres Golf Community in Grinnell, IA, where he was a District Sales Manager for Super Crost Seeds and was able to pursue his passion for golf. Upon retirement in 2000, Gene mowed the roughs at Oakland Acres, shagged cars for Wes Finch Auto-plaza and assisted Michael Hudnutt on his farm. He also continued to be an avid bowler in Grinnell as he had been in Fort Collins. Gene was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Jean Lobdell Kerbel, two brothers Albert Kerbel of Fort Collins and Woodrow Kerbel of Pocatello, ID, two sisters Helen Miller of Riverton, WY and Irene Allen of Claypool, AZ. He is survived by one brother Earl Kerbel of Wellington, two children; Deborah Ann and John Wallace Turner of Wiggins, CO and Stephen Eugene and Sheila Kay Kerbel of Loveland. Also, four step children; John Lobdell of Colorado Springs, Sheri Kurtz of Dallas, TX, Tim Lobdell of Austin, TX, and Tammy Przylepa of Evans, GA. He also had five grandchildren; Jeanie Boymel, Conrad Crist, Michael Turner, Ashley Kerbel and Stephanie Kerbel. Also seven step-grandchildren; Lindsay Cohen, Lauren Lobdell, Nicholas Kurtz, Harrison Kurtz, Katie Przylepa, Alison Przylepa, and Andrew Przylepa. He is survived by two great-grandchildren; Kyler Frederick Conrad Boymel and Miyah Louise Crist. A memorial service with military honors by the Ft. Collins All Veterans Honor Guard will be held at Bohlender Funeral Chapel in Fort Collins on Tuesday, June 16th, at 1:00 p.m. Rev. Tim Runtsch will officiate at the services. A private interment will be held at Grandview Cemetery.