Eugene was born to Opal Williams of Pittsburg, KS. Biological father's name unknown at this time.
Back in 1917, being an unwed mother was difficult, and she had to give her newborn baby away.*
(*see footnote at bottom of page)
He was adopted by Earnest and Sarah Helena (McDougall) Wallace.
Earnest Wallace died in Eugene's young years .
His youth years were spent growing up under the loving guidence of his beloved Grandmother Georgianna McDougall in Hockerville, Oklahoma.
When his mother remarried to a Mr. Light, Eugene began going by the last name of Light, although not ever changing it legally.
Later, Eugene's teenage years he lived in Carthage, Missouri with his Mother, Sarah Helena 'Lena' (McDougall) Wallace Light. They resided at 1157 Main Street, where she ran the household of Mr. Charles Blair. He graduated in the Class of 1935 from Carthage High School.
He was known for his speed in track and was frequently in write-ups in the Carthage Evening Press newspaper.
Gene Light of Carthage provided the next thrill in the mile run. Light, who ran third at Joplin last Friday and was close to a 4:50 mile found the going sloppy on the curves but came home with a sprint to set a new record of five minutes and one second.
Tiger Half Milers Win
Don Comer and Gene Light provided a bit of excitement in their finish to the half-mile event. Comer won, but on the final curve Light opened a kick which sent him across the finish only an eyelash back of Comer, and gave Carthage first and second places in the event.
He received the 1937 BIG 8 medal for the mile run.
In 1936, 1937 & 1938 Eugene was a championship Golden Gloves boxer in the 140 lb. class from Carthage, Missouri, sharing many of the wins with his close friend Vern 'Vernie' Crandall of Carthage, MO.
*********************
Married Lorine Louise Douglas
January 21, 1939 in Joplin, MO
Served in the U.S. Navy during WWII and was honorably discharged in 1945.
He was employed by Empire District Electric Company in Joplin, Missouri, retiring after 35 years.
*********************
One daughter:
Nancy Jean (Wallace) Wilson Brewer
In January of 1951 Eugene and Lorine, having been married 12 years adopted a blue eyed, blonde headed baby at 4 days old, and named her Nancy Jean. The Jean being after her father Eugene 'Gene'.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Eugene fought a 5 year battle with cancer and succumbed to it in 1985.
2 Grandsons:
Michael Christopher Wilson
Scott Randall Wilson
The boys were the 'shine in his eyes' and very dear to him.
1 Great-grandson Derek Andrew Wilson
(that he never got to see and enjoy because cancer robbed him of life much too soon)
*footnote - His biological Mother Opal Williams later married Robert Barnard. She resided in Pittsburg, Kansas and had 2 more children, Robert Barnard Jr. and daughter Phyllis. All of whom Gene knew and visited over the years.
Back in 1917, being an unwed mother was difficult, and she had to give her newborn baby away.*
(*see footnote at bottom of page)
He was adopted by Earnest and Sarah Helena (McDougall) Wallace.
Earnest Wallace died in Eugene's young years .
His youth years were spent growing up under the loving guidence of his beloved Grandmother Georgianna McDougall in Hockerville, Oklahoma.
When his mother remarried to a Mr. Light, Eugene began going by the last name of Light, although not ever changing it legally.
Later, Eugene's teenage years he lived in Carthage, Missouri with his Mother, Sarah Helena 'Lena' (McDougall) Wallace Light. They resided at 1157 Main Street, where she ran the household of Mr. Charles Blair. He graduated in the Class of 1935 from Carthage High School.
He was known for his speed in track and was frequently in write-ups in the Carthage Evening Press newspaper.
Gene Light of Carthage provided the next thrill in the mile run. Light, who ran third at Joplin last Friday and was close to a 4:50 mile found the going sloppy on the curves but came home with a sprint to set a new record of five minutes and one second.
Tiger Half Milers Win
Don Comer and Gene Light provided a bit of excitement in their finish to the half-mile event. Comer won, but on the final curve Light opened a kick which sent him across the finish only an eyelash back of Comer, and gave Carthage first and second places in the event.
He received the 1937 BIG 8 medal for the mile run.
In 1936, 1937 & 1938 Eugene was a championship Golden Gloves boxer in the 140 lb. class from Carthage, Missouri, sharing many of the wins with his close friend Vern 'Vernie' Crandall of Carthage, MO.
*********************
Married Lorine Louise Douglas
January 21, 1939 in Joplin, MO
Served in the U.S. Navy during WWII and was honorably discharged in 1945.
He was employed by Empire District Electric Company in Joplin, Missouri, retiring after 35 years.
*********************
One daughter:
Nancy Jean (Wallace) Wilson Brewer
In January of 1951 Eugene and Lorine, having been married 12 years adopted a blue eyed, blonde headed baby at 4 days old, and named her Nancy Jean. The Jean being after her father Eugene 'Gene'.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Eugene fought a 5 year battle with cancer and succumbed to it in 1985.
2 Grandsons:
Michael Christopher Wilson
Scott Randall Wilson
The boys were the 'shine in his eyes' and very dear to him.
1 Great-grandson Derek Andrew Wilson
(that he never got to see and enjoy because cancer robbed him of life much too soon)
*footnote - His biological Mother Opal Williams later married Robert Barnard. She resided in Pittsburg, Kansas and had 2 more children, Robert Barnard Jr. and daughter Phyllis. All of whom Gene knew and visited over the years.
Eugene was born to Opal Williams of Pittsburg, KS. Biological father's name unknown at this time.
Back in 1917, being an unwed mother was difficult, and she had to give her newborn baby away.*
(*see footnote at bottom of page)
He was adopted by Earnest and Sarah Helena (McDougall) Wallace.
Earnest Wallace died in Eugene's young years .
His youth years were spent growing up under the loving guidence of his beloved Grandmother Georgianna McDougall in Hockerville, Oklahoma.
When his mother remarried to a Mr. Light, Eugene began going by the last name of Light, although not ever changing it legally.
Later, Eugene's teenage years he lived in Carthage, Missouri with his Mother, Sarah Helena 'Lena' (McDougall) Wallace Light. They resided at 1157 Main Street, where she ran the household of Mr. Charles Blair. He graduated in the Class of 1935 from Carthage High School.
He was known for his speed in track and was frequently in write-ups in the Carthage Evening Press newspaper.
Gene Light of Carthage provided the next thrill in the mile run. Light, who ran third at Joplin last Friday and was close to a 4:50 mile found the going sloppy on the curves but came home with a sprint to set a new record of five minutes and one second.
Tiger Half Milers Win
Don Comer and Gene Light provided a bit of excitement in their finish to the half-mile event. Comer won, but on the final curve Light opened a kick which sent him across the finish only an eyelash back of Comer, and gave Carthage first and second places in the event.
He received the 1937 BIG 8 medal for the mile run.
In 1936, 1937 & 1938 Eugene was a championship Golden Gloves boxer in the 140 lb. class from Carthage, Missouri, sharing many of the wins with his close friend Vern 'Vernie' Crandall of Carthage, MO.
*********************
Married Lorine Louise Douglas
January 21, 1939 in Joplin, MO
Served in the U.S. Navy during WWII and was honorably discharged in 1945.
He was employed by Empire District Electric Company in Joplin, Missouri, retiring after 35 years.
*********************
One daughter:
Nancy Jean (Wallace) Wilson Brewer
In January of 1951 Eugene and Lorine, having been married 12 years adopted a blue eyed, blonde headed baby at 4 days old, and named her Nancy Jean. The Jean being after her father Eugene 'Gene'.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Eugene fought a 5 year battle with cancer and succumbed to it in 1985.
2 Grandsons:
Michael Christopher Wilson
Scott Randall Wilson
The boys were the 'shine in his eyes' and very dear to him.
1 Great-grandson Derek Andrew Wilson
(that he never got to see and enjoy because cancer robbed him of life much too soon)
*footnote - His biological Mother Opal Williams later married Robert Barnard. She resided in Pittsburg, Kansas and had 2 more children, Robert Barnard Jr. and daughter Phyllis. All of whom Gene knew and visited over the years.
Back in 1917, being an unwed mother was difficult, and she had to give her newborn baby away.*
(*see footnote at bottom of page)
He was adopted by Earnest and Sarah Helena (McDougall) Wallace.
Earnest Wallace died in Eugene's young years .
His youth years were spent growing up under the loving guidence of his beloved Grandmother Georgianna McDougall in Hockerville, Oklahoma.
When his mother remarried to a Mr. Light, Eugene began going by the last name of Light, although not ever changing it legally.
Later, Eugene's teenage years he lived in Carthage, Missouri with his Mother, Sarah Helena 'Lena' (McDougall) Wallace Light. They resided at 1157 Main Street, where she ran the household of Mr. Charles Blair. He graduated in the Class of 1935 from Carthage High School.
He was known for his speed in track and was frequently in write-ups in the Carthage Evening Press newspaper.
Gene Light of Carthage provided the next thrill in the mile run. Light, who ran third at Joplin last Friday and was close to a 4:50 mile found the going sloppy on the curves but came home with a sprint to set a new record of five minutes and one second.
Tiger Half Milers Win
Don Comer and Gene Light provided a bit of excitement in their finish to the half-mile event. Comer won, but on the final curve Light opened a kick which sent him across the finish only an eyelash back of Comer, and gave Carthage first and second places in the event.
He received the 1937 BIG 8 medal for the mile run.
In 1936, 1937 & 1938 Eugene was a championship Golden Gloves boxer in the 140 lb. class from Carthage, Missouri, sharing many of the wins with his close friend Vern 'Vernie' Crandall of Carthage, MO.
*********************
Married Lorine Louise Douglas
January 21, 1939 in Joplin, MO
Served in the U.S. Navy during WWII and was honorably discharged in 1945.
He was employed by Empire District Electric Company in Joplin, Missouri, retiring after 35 years.
*********************
One daughter:
Nancy Jean (Wallace) Wilson Brewer
In January of 1951 Eugene and Lorine, having been married 12 years adopted a blue eyed, blonde headed baby at 4 days old, and named her Nancy Jean. The Jean being after her father Eugene 'Gene'.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Eugene fought a 5 year battle with cancer and succumbed to it in 1985.
2 Grandsons:
Michael Christopher Wilson
Scott Randall Wilson
The boys were the 'shine in his eyes' and very dear to him.
1 Great-grandson Derek Andrew Wilson
(that he never got to see and enjoy because cancer robbed him of life much too soon)
*footnote - His biological Mother Opal Williams later married Robert Barnard. She resided in Pittsburg, Kansas and had 2 more children, Robert Barnard Jr. and daughter Phyllis. All of whom Gene knew and visited over the years.
