Eugene M. "Gene" Heriford

EUGENE M. HERIFORD
July 12, 1926 ˜ March 1, 2024

Eugene M. Heriford passed away peacefully in his home of 64 years at the age of 97. Gene was one of six children born to James and Lavina Heriford in Baca County, CO. All but the youngest survived The Great American Dust Bowl of the 1930’s. As a young boy, his family moved to Grants Pass, OR, where he graduated high school in 1943. Upon graduation, at age 16, he purchased his first work truck. At the start of WWII, he moved to Vancouver and worked at the Barracks where he met and married the love of his life, Ina Bottemiller, a marriage that lasted 74 years.

Gene eventually went to work at Blurock Concrete Products where he drove truck delivering concrete pipe, advancing to office manager and dispatcher until retirement.

Gene was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather. Over the years, he enjoyed raising cows and horses and haying the fields on his small farm with his family. He helped several grandkids with their 4-H horses. When not working, the family enjoyed the swimming pool he built.

Gene is survived by two daughters, Kathy Harris and Rene` (Terry) Mash; one son, Gregg (Becki) Heriford; 10 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild; brother, Kenneth of Gresham, OR; and sister, Phyllis of Texas.

After being widowed in 2020, Amy Uruo became Gene’s full-time caregiver and close friend. The family expresses heartfelt gratitude for the loving care, goodness, and gentleness she showered on Grandpa the last four years.

Please join us for the celebration of Gene’s life on Thursday, March 21, at 2 p.m. at Liberty Bible Church where he and Ina were founding members. It is located at 12401 NE Salmon Creek Ave., Vancouver, WA.

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