Gene Nance

Clinton Eugene "Gene" Nance, 78, of Parsons, was surrounded by his loving family as he was called home to be with our Lord on Friday, May 10, 2019.

He entered this world May 16, 1940, to his proud parents, Clint and Minnie (Hunt) Nance in Hepler, Kansas. He attended schools in Parsons and Galesburg.

On August 20, 1958, Gene married the love of his life, Mary Margarita Leon, in Miami, Oklahoma. They celebrated their 40 ^th wedding anniversary by renewing their wedding vows at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Parsons. The couple enjoyed over 60 years of true love.

Gene and Maggie moved to Clinton, Iowa, where nine of their 10 children were born. The family moved to Parsons where they lived for several years and welcomed the tenth child. They then lived in Erie for 16 years before settling back in Parsons.

A master "Jack of all trades," Gene earned a living using his many gifts and talents. While in Iowa, he worked at Hearth and Home Furniture Retail Store and owned and ran a stock car race track. Returning to Kansas he worked at Kinzie Furniture Store. Later, Gene was a supervisor at Hi Low in Chanute. A job he loved and did until retirement, was being a child transporter for TFI, a foster care agency. One of his proudest occupations was owning his own auction house in Parsons. Being an independent man, Gene truly enjoyed being his own boss. At that time, he did furniture restoration and installed carpet. Gene was such a talented furniture restorer, he could take a discarded piece of furniture and make it into a masterpiece. He was a modern day Jed Clampett or a Sandford & Son person who gave true meaning to "one man's trash is another man's treasure."

An avid participant in auctions, he loved antiques and collectibles. He would often take treasures and restored furniture to flea markets in Canton, Texas, Kansas City, Missouri and his favorite spot, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Gene was a competitor and an avid baseball fan. Because of his love for the game, Gene coached his daughters in softball and his sons in baseball. Many will remember him as "Coach Gene." He loved watching his grandkids and great-grandkids in all their sporting activities. Gene was an adventurous soul. He enjoyed traveling, race car driving, hustling a pool game, fishing, camping and hunting, especially with his family. Always the proud husband, he loved boasting about taking the fish off the hook for his squeamish wife.

Gene and Maggie are proud members of Mother of God Catholic Church in Oswego, Kansas. He was a loving, protective husband and father who showed the world how to raise a tribe that believes in the family bond of support and love.

Survivors Include:

His Loving Wife – Maggie (Leon) Nance;

Six Daughters – Vickie Lee Broadwell and husband, John, of Edna;

Arra Mae Whittley and husband, Junior, of Altamont;

Rose Ann Martin and husband, Mark, of Parsons;

Mary Jo Fitzwater and husband, Richard, of Parsons;

Sally Jean Robison and husband, Kevin, of Altamont;

Teresa Lynn Nance of Pittsburg

Three Sons – Robert Allen Nance and wife, Judy, of Parsons;

Richard Eugene Nance and wife, Connie, of Parsons;

Jacob Daniel Nance of Parsons;

29 Grandchildren;

53 Great-Grandchildren;

Three Brothers – Charles Nance, and his wife, Sandy, of Missouri; Tom Nance and his wife, Thu, of Missouri; Don Nance and his wife, Marge, of Iowa;

Two Sisters – Allena Brasher and her husband, J.C., of Missouri; Cindy Goodwin and her husband, Jim, of Texas.

Numerous Nieces and Nephews

He was preceded in death by his parents, Clint and Minnie Nance; his first-born daughter, Rita Marie Nance; his first-born grandson, Jeremiah David Broadwell; and one brother, Leroy Nance.

Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 17, 2109 at Mother of God Catholic Church in Oswego. Burial will follow at Mound Valley Cemetery. The rosary will be prayed at 7:00 p.m., Thursday at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. The family will receive friends at 7:30 p.m., immediately following the rosary.

Memorials are suggested to the Gene Nance Memorial Fund; Midwest Transplant Network – Donate for Life; or TFI – Foster Family Fund. These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, KS 67357.