Blair native Eugene G. French, 73, of Elkhorn, died Jan. 21, 2004, at Methodist Hospital in Omaha. Funeral services were Saturday, Jan. 24 at Bethany Lutheran Church in Omaha. Interment was at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Elkhorn.

Eugene Gifford French was born July 2, 1940, in Blair to Gifford and Georgiana (Hansen) French. He grew up on a farm northeast of Arlington and attended school through 10th grade at the March country school and finished high school at Arlington High School, where he graduated in 1957.

As a young boy, he was involved in 4-H and, although he didn’t like chores, he did enjoy driving the tractor. When he was older, he loved to wash and polish his cars. Special times in his childhood were the family gatherings on the 4th of July with all the relatives and lot of fireworks.

On June 19, 1960, he married Sharon Belak at Trinity Lutheran Church in Fremont. The couple and their three sons lived in Arlington for a short time before moving to Elkhorn.

Mr. French owned French’s Eggs until 1980 when it closed. Since then, he has served as club manager at the Eagles Club in Elkhorn and Fremont. He loved Nebraska football and attended many games, including several Bowl games. He was very civic minded, and was involved in the Elkhorn Lions Club, where he was a charter member and had served as past president and past District Governor. He was active in the Eagles and was a 20-year member of the Elkhorn Volunteer Fire Department.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon, of Elkhorn; sons, Jeffrey of Omaha, Michael of Waverly, and Gregory of Elkhorn; two grandchildren; mother, Georgiana French of Arlington; sister and brother-in-law, Dianne and Melvern Hilgenkamp of Arlington; mother-in-law, Iola Belak of Fremont; and many nieces, nephews, sisters and brothers-in-law.

Memorials are suggested to the Lions Club, Eagles Club or the American Cancer Society.

Reichmuth Funeral Home in Elkhorn was in charge of arrangements.