Paul "Gene" Determan

Paul Eugene "Gene" Determan

October 31, 1941 – January 1, 2026

Gene Determan passed away on January 1,2026, in Houston, Texas. He was born October 31, 1941, in Marshalltown, Iowa to Paul and Mary Determan.

Gene served in the US Army and was a Vietnam veteran. In the late 1970s, Gene and his longtime friend and business partner Darwin Merrill co-founded Determan and Merrill Ltd., a Marshalltown based company specializing in railroad abandonment work. After years of traveling the U.S. to remove thousands of miles of abandoned track, the company became a contractor for the Union Pacific Railroad in the late 1990s. This work also required extensive travel across the country. They handled many projects over the years but mainly followed the steel gangs re-laying new rail. Gene retired in 2017 at the age of 76, though he remained co-owner until August 2024, when both he and Darwin retired for good.

Gene loved flying – he owned several airplanes over the years – and riding his Harleys. He was also an avid collector, especially of guns, with a deep appreciation for fine craftsmanship. Above all, he enjoyed sharing stories about the thousands of miles he traveled and the many states and cities he worked in.

Gene will be remembered for his devotion to his family, strong work ethic and service to his country.

He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Ann Determan; his children Jackie (Eric) Tretten, Terri (Carlos) Madrid, Andi Determan (Mark), Jonathan (Molly) Determan and Michael Spell; his grandchildren, Etta, Bret, Kim, Brianna and Caitlin and 5 great grandchildren; his sisters, Pam (Roger) Detrich and Deb (Jack) Jennings; and many nieces and nephew.

Viewing will be 5-7pm, Wednesday, January 7 at Davis Greenlawn in Rosenberg, Texas. Services will be Thursday, January 8, with viewing at 10am and services at 11am at River Pointe Church in Richmond, Texas.