Gene D. Baasch

Gene D. Baasch, 72, of Grand Island, died unexpectedly, Sunday, March 27, 2022, at his home.

Liturgy of the Word services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 8, 2022, at St. Leo’s Catholic Church in Grand Island. The Rev. Donald A. Buhrman will officiate. Military honors will be conducted after the service by the United Veterans Honor Guard and the U.S. Army Funeral Honors Team.

Private family inurnment will be at a later date at Cedarview Cemetery in Doniphan.

The service will be recorded and uploaded on Peters Funeral Home Facebook page. The direct link for that page is www.facebook.com/PetersfuneralHomeSP.

Memorials are suggested to the family for later designation.

Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is assisting the family.

Gene was born on April 22, 1949, at Grand Island, the son of August H. and Katherine Maxine (Johnson) Baasch. He attended St. Mary’s Catholic School. His mother died when he was 13 years old and he then moved to Cairo to live with his grandparents and his uncle, Bud Johnson. He graduated from Cairo High School.

He served in the United States Army from Jan. 1968 to Aug. 1970. He returned to Cairo and operated the Golden Horseshoe Bar and worked at Case New Holland for 25 years.

He was united in marriage to Connie L. (Lonowski) Williams on June 1, 1994. The couple lived in Grand Island their entire married life. Gene had also worked at Newell School, MFS Stormor and McCain Foods.

He and Connie have been raising their great-grandson, Jaden Williams, from the time of his birth. Jaden was the “apple of his eye” and he loved taking and picking him up from school, hanging out and spoiling him.

Gene was a member of St. Leo’s Catholic Church, VFW Post 1347 and the Grand Island Saddle Club.

He enjoyed keeping a meticulous yard and was awarded “Yard of the Week” in 1995. He also enjoyed watching westerns on TV and cheering on his beloved, Miami Dolphins.

He is survived by his wife, Connie Baasch of Grand Island; step-sons, James Williams of Grand Island, Tim Williams and Stacy Christensen of Hastings and Scott Williams of Grand Island; daughter, Amanda Winters of Nashville, TN; 15 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Peggy Baasch of Littleton, CO and Kathy Baasch of Cairo; and Connie’s siblings and spouses, Karen and Terry Kelly of Chapman, Charles Lonowski of Grand Island, Richard and Kathy Lonowski of Gilbert, AZ, Joe and Andrea Lonowski of Lincoln and Tammy and Craig Roder of Hudson, WI; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Gary Baasch and Dennis Baasch; uncle, Bud Johnson; and in-laws, Don and Alice Ann Lonowski.