Gene Ray Marner

Gene Ray Marner was born on November 8, 1923, in Johnson County, Iowa, the oldest child of Ray Emmett Marner and Mildred Grace Means Marner. Growing up on the family farm with his siblings Marilyn, Carolyn, and William, Gene learned the values of deep faith and hard work. After graduating from high school, he attended Western Union (later Westmar) College in LeMars, Iowa. It was there that he met Bernice Hirning, a fellow student from North Dakota. Gene joined the Army Air Force after his freshman year, so most of the couple’s courtship was carried out by letter. In the summer of 1944 Bernice traveled to southern Texas where Gene was stationed, and on August 5 of that year they were married in the Methodist Church at Mission, Texas. They celebrated their 69th anniversary six months before Bernice’s death in February, 2014. In November of 1944, Gene sailed to England on the Queen Mary. Trained as a pilot, navigator, and glider pilot, Lieutenant Marner served in the European campaign in a variety of capacities, including transporting troops and supplies to the Battle of the Bulge on Christmas Eve, 1944. After VE day, his duties included being part of the process of shuttling troops from Europe to Asia. His particular job was to make frequent flights between South America and Miami, learning to navigate the route based on the color of the water. After the war ended, the couple moved to Iowa City, where Gene completed his formal education at the University of Iowa, culminating in a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering/Physics, specializing in Radio Astronomy. Over a long career of service to his country, Gene was Director of Research at Collins Radio Company in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he worked on communication systems for the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo projects; a vice-president at McDonnell Douglas Electronics, St. Charles, Missouri; Chief of the Avionics Division at the US Army Aviation Systems Command; and President of Marner Systems, a scientific consulting firm. His last major project involved leading the development of the Longbow Navigation System for the Apache Helicopter. In addition, Gene authored many professional articles and held several patents. While living in Iowa City, Gene and Bernice’s family grew to include three children - Jonathan, Mark, and Susan - and after building a house in the country near Marion, celebrated the birth of a fourth child, Ruth. In 1972 the family moved to Chesterfield in St Louis County, where Gene and Bernice lived until 2012 when they moved into The Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. Gene was a Phi Beta Kappa alumnus, Past-President of the Institute of Navigation, and a member of IEEE, an association dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. He was the Governor’s Science Adviser in Iowa, where he helped set up public broadcasting for the state. Gene spent his life learning: photography, gardening, and reading were just a few of his many interests. He and Bernice were avid travelers, journeying together throughout their marriage to destinations around the world. He was a long-time member of the United Methodist Church of Green Trails and was active in all aspects of church life, from being an usher to chairing the Administrative Board; from attending Annual Conference to receiving a Model of Solidarity Award from the conference Commission on the Status and Role of Women. Gene Marner died on December 1, 2017 at The Lutheran Home. He is survived by two sons: Jonathan Marner of College Station, Texas and Mark Marner and his wife RaeAnne Frey Marner of Ft. Dodge Iowa; by two daughters: Susan Marner-Sides and her husband Bob Sides, of Bernie, Missouri and Ruth Marner of Chesterfield, Missouri; by two granddaughters: Sarah Tofilon of Ft. Dodge, Iowa and Kathryn Marner of West Des Moines, Iowa; by two great-grandchildren: Abigail and Benjamin Tofilon, both of Ft. Dodge, Iowa; by step-granddaughter Barbara Dawson and husband Tom Dawson and step great-grandson Robert Dawson, all of Bernie, Missouri; and by sisters, in-laws, nieces, nephews, and many friends. Gene was a kind and patient man, with a brilliant mind, a brave spirit, an inquisitive soul, a sweet smile, and a faith-filled heart. He has been, and continues to be, a blessing to all. Services: Funeral service at The United Methodist Church of Green Trails, 14237 Ladue Rd, Chesterfield, Thursday, 11:00 a.m. Entombment at Bellerive Gardens. If desired, contributions may be made to KETC (PBS affiliate in St. Louis) 3655 Olive St., St. Louis MO 63108, Meals-on-Wheels, 23 W Stoddard, Dexter MO 63841 or Lutheran Home Hospice, 2825 Bloomfield Rd., Cape Girardeau MO 63703. Visitation at the SCHRADER Funeral Home and Crematory, 14960 Manchester Rd., Ballwin, Wednesday 4:00 until 8:00 p.m.

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Gene Ray Marner

November 8, 1923 - December 1, 2017