Eugene Clifford Tanner

Eugene C. Tanner, age 87, passed away Thursday evening October 10, 2013. Gene was born May 20, 1926 to Wayne and Hilda (Hunsberger) Tanner in Hopkins, Michigan. Upon completion of high school, Gene served his country in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Torrence AKA 76. After his discharge, he worked for the Michigan Department of Transportation, retiring in 1981 after 28 years of service. He then worked part-time for West Point Hills Mobile Home Park for 10 years. Gene was an avid Detroit Tigers fan. He enjoyed his daily bike rides and anything to do with the outdoors. He loved to travel - especially to his annual reunions with his naval shipmates. For many years Gene was an avid square dancer appearing several times on the local television show, The Green Valley Jamboree. He was a member of St. John Bosco Catholic Church. Preceding him in death were his parents Wayne and Hilda Tanner, daughters Jeannie (Tanner) Taylor and Sharon (Tanner) Bogard, his sister Esther and wife Mary (Richmond) Tanner. He is survived by his wife Christine (Sargent) Tanner of Mattawan, MI and Palmetto, FL; daughter Lora (John) Smith of St. Joseph, MI; son Norman Tanner of Kalamazoo, MI; step-children Rick (Jackie) Richmond of Kalamazoo, MI; Sally (Terry) Newington of Plainwell, MI; Patrice (Hal) Phillips of Schoolcraft, MI; Gordon (Kathy) Sargent of Lawton, MI; Pamela (Sargent) Smith of Alsip, IL; Marcia (Richard) Murray of Oshtemo, MI; David Sargent of Kalamazoo, MI; Jeffry Sargent of Bradenton, FL; Kimberly (Bill) Setinek of Forest Park, IL; Stephen Sargent of Bradenton, FL; Thomas (Kim) Sargent of Parrish, FL and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Memorial service will be held Saturday, October 19, 2013 at 11:00am at Avink Funeral Home Cremation Society in Schoolcraft, MI, with Fr. Mathew Illikattil officiating. Private interment will take place at Ft. Custer National Cemetery at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the Kalamazoo Chapter of The American Cancer Society.