Gene was born in Marshalltown, Iowa, March 18, 1923 to Clarence E. Eldridge and Phyllis Brown Eldridge. Gene had one sister Dorothy Eldridge Hogeland. Gene served in the Army during WW2. He married Thayes Jean Downs on February, 25, 1940. Gene had one daughter Gena Ann Eldridge (Flemmer) born August 7, 1963, Gene worked 49 years at Lennox Ind. Inc. Gene and Thayes moved to Plano, Texas in June of 1978 with Lennox. Gene retired in 1990 from Lennox and enjoyed his only granddaugher Jordan Jene Flemmer (Machun) born September 25, 1991. Gene was a charter member of Custer Road United Methodist Church in Plano, TX. Gene was blessed with good health, full mobility and sharp mental capacity until a fall in June 2015. Gene passed from a stroke on September 16, 2015. Gene enjoyed and loved life, he had a wonderful sense of humor, and was a devoted dad and Papa!