MONTROSE — Gene Eiserman was born June 11, 1935 in Libertyville, Ill., to Paul and Alice (Mead) Eiserman. Gene was raised, went to school and remained in Libertyville until he was 44 years old.
As an adult, he owned a successful construction company, and took great satisfaction in fixing and building things. His real passion, however, was farming, and he always farmed a variety of acres in addition to his regular work.
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In 1979, the family moved west to Colorado, where they bought a motel in Bayfield, as well as a small ranch near Ignacio. Again he was busy with running the motel and additionally caring for livestock on the ranch.
It was here he met Claudia Huffman; they were married in 1984. Together, they built a restaurant at the same location as the motel and ran both businesses, as well as having livestock in the fields behind the motel. Many a time, escaped cows were chased though the Bayfield Bank parking lot, or the nearby trailer court.
In 1993, Gene and Claudia sold the businesses and bought property near Montrose where they farmed and raised livestock. Gene especially loved raising pumpkins and for a number of years, sold pumpkins and other fall decorations out of their yard. While working outside, they always appreciated the beauty of surrounding lands, which could be seen in all directions; the San Juans, the Uncompahre Plateau, Grand Mesa and the Black Canyon. Such beauty made the physical labor much easier.
Gene loved to ride through the farmland of the area and see what the “big” farmers were doing. He always admired the hard work of these people, who had to manipulate the water to grow a crop and the foresight of the people who built the tunnels, so water could be brought to the valley. He often said, back in Illinois “the good Lord did the irrigating.”
Gene also loved to take late afternoon rides in the mountains to spot wildlife, and he especially loved birds and often visited Fruit Growers Reservoir to see the pelicans, ducks and cranes that migrated there.
Gene had little formal education, but took great pride in being a resourceful and practical man. He often said there was way too much book learning and not enough common sense these days. He loved to make people laugh and cracked jokes, though occasionally the joke was lost to all except himself!
Gene passed on quickly and gently of natural causes while he and Claudia were riding their ATV. His last earthly words were, “I want to ride the fence line.”
Gene will be laid to rest in Bayfield beside his eldest son, Jeff, overlooking the Pine River, where he and Claudia often went spotting “big bucks” grazing in the cemetery late at night.
Gene is survived and will be missed by his wife, Claudia; his son, Rick (Cindy) Eiserman of Buckeye, Ariz.; daughter, Julie (Bob) Holzmeister of Montrose; stepson, Brett (Sue) Huffman of Aliso Viejo, Calif., stepdaughter, Lisa Richardson of Silverton, Colo.; and grandchildren, Lindsey and Gracen Huffman of Aliso Viejo, Calif. Gene is also survived by his sister, Barb (Ed) Willer of Libertyville, Ill.; his brothers, Chuck (Kathy) Eiserman and Fred (Delores) Eiserman of Grayslake, Ill.; sister-in-law, Fran Eiserman of Green Valley, Ariz., as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Gene is preceded in death by his son, Jeff; his brother, Harry Eiserman; and his parents, Paul and Alice Eiserman.
Funeral services for Gene will be held Saturday, June 27, 2009, at 9 a.m., at the Crippin Funeral Home Chapel. The service will conclude at the chapel. Interment will follow at the Pine River Cemetery in Bayfield, Colo.
Arrangements are under the direction and care of Crippin Funeral Home, 802 E. Main St., Montrose, CO 81401 (970) 249-2121.
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