Thomas Eugene "Gene" DeWeese

DeWeese, Thomas Eugene "Gene" With profound sorrow, we mourn the passing of Gene DeWeese, beloved husband of Beverly J. DeWeese for 57 years. Gene was a respected colleague and friend to many. A graduate of Valparaiso Technical Institute, with an associate's degree in engineering, he worked at Delco Radio from 1954 to 1959. Because he loved to write, he soon transferred to Delco Electronics as a technical writer from 1959 to 1974. During that time, he wrote manuals and programmed instruction texts on the Apollo guidance computers, space navigation, and digital and analog computers. He loved being even a small part of the Apollo space program. In 1974, he decided to become a free lance writer. He immediately joined the Council for Wisconsin Writers and the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA). He published over 40 books, including nonfiction, science fiction, horror, mysteries, gothics, and children's science fiction, while taking classes at Marquette and UW-Milwaukee. Gene was proud of winning several Council of Wisconsin Writers awards: for the best novel, JEREMY CASE, in 1976; for best children's book, MAJOR CORBY AND THE UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT in 1979; and for best novel, A DIFFERENT DARKNESS, in 1982. COMPUTERS IN ENTERTAINMENT AND THE ARTS was selected as a Notable Science Book of the year by the National Science Teachers of America in 1984. Gene has also been nominated for a Nebula, an SFWA award. CHAIN OF ATTACK, the first of six Star Trek novels, appeared on the New York Times best sellers' list in 1987. In 2009, the Wisconsin Library Association named him a Notable Wisconsin Writer. On the east side of Milwaukee, Gene became a part of the neighborhood landscape, often bicycling 20 to 30 miles a week around the city. He even bicycled to work at Oak Creek in winter and summer. For years, Gene was a ferocious table tennis player and later took up air hockey with the same intensity. All his life, Gene was a modest, compassionate, gentle man. Though quiet and reserved, he had a great sense of humor and a generous heart. He was always ready to help anyone he could. He was especially kind-hearted to animals and had owned many "rescue" pets. He will be missed by many. Among the survivors are his wife, Beverly; his mother-in-law, Etta Head Hinote; his brothers-in-law Charles Howard Amers, William Lee (Betty) Amers and Richard Hale Amers. Also surviving are his nephews: Richard Alan (Sheri) Amers, and their children, Samantha and Ricky; and Michael Lee (Sandy) Amers; and his niece Joetta (Keith) Bookert and their children, Aja Kiara and Chesney Christian. Finally, thanks to Robin Rogowski, who has been a special friend and a great help to Gene. A celebration of Gene's life will be held Saturday, May 12th from 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM at the Feerick Funeral Home. Memorials in Gene's name can be made to Happy Endings, 5349 W. Forest Home Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53220 or Second Hand Purrs, 4300 S. Howell, Milwaukee, WI 53207 or Nature Conservancy, 4245 N. Fairfax Dr. #100, Arlington, VA 22203.