Eugene Lee Caudle

Eugene Lee Caudle

Eugene Lee Caudle, known to most as Gene, was born on November 25, 1930, the son of James L. Caudle and Grace Maude Coombes Caudle in Castleford, Idaho. Gene departed this life on February 13, 2014, with his sons by his side. Gene was 83 years of age.

Spending his early years in Idaho and California, Gene and his family moved to Laclede County, Missouri, near Nebo, in the early 1940s settling near the childhood home of his father, James. Gene graduated from Stoutland (Missouri) High School in 1948 before he joined the United States Navy where he served for four years, spending time in Guam and Morocco as a radio operator. Upon the completion of his military service, Gene returned to the Lebanon area before turning his attention to his education. Gene received his Bachelor's Degree from the Missouri State Teachers College (now Missouri State University) and his Master's Degree in Education from the University of Missouri.

Gene spent most of his adult life in the education field. Initially, he taught in a rural, one-room school east of Lebanon and later became the industrial arts teacher in Sparta. As he furthered his education, Gene was selected as the Superintendent of the Sparta School District. From there, his school administration career led him to Golden City, Stockton, Ava, and, finally, Galena, Missouri. Upon his retirement in 1983, Gene held a number of jobs with a shipping and advertising company in Springfield, Missouri where he worked as a truck driver and shipping clerk for a number of years. In addition to his work, Gene spent much time volunteering with the American Red Cross, assisting in disaster relief on the Gulf Coast following hurricanes on a number of occasions. Gene also received accolades for his blood and platelet donations to the American Red Cross spanning a number of years. As a member of the South Haven Baptist Church in Springfield, Gene went on church building trips to Ohio, Connecticut, and Georgia after his retirement from education.

Gene is survived by two children, Kevin of Stockton and Robin of Holton Kansas, as well as his former wife, Hilda, of Ava. Gene is also survived by five grandchildren, Tyler, Kayla, Chase, Chance and Katie, five nieces, and the latest addition to the family, a great grandchild, Beau.

Gene loved to fish and "piddle" in his yard. He was very proud of the trees, shrubs, and manicured landscape of his home in Springfield. As a resident of Stockton when the Stockton Dam was completed and the reservoir filled, Gene caught more than his fair share of fish from the waters of Stockton Lake and spent many an hour with his boys fishing for crappie.

Robin and Kevin both attribute their love of sports to their father. Many summer vacations were planned around the pitching schedule of Bob Gibson and the home schedule of his beloved St. Louis Cardinals. The football field at Stockton High School was the dream of Gene who, in the early 1970s, convinced the school board to purchase the land where the field now sits. Gene also convinced community leaders to donate time and labor to make the football field a reality. On football's opening night in the fall of 1973, no one in Stockton was more proud of the football field than Gene. All these years later, administrators, players, and fans from visiting schools routinely comment about the beautiful setting of the Stockton football stadium.

As a former superintendent of the Stockton School District, many adjectives have been used to describe Gene to include stern, tough, no-nonsense, and even scary. Gene held strong beliefs which sometimes served as his greatest asset and worst liability. However, Gene was universally respected by those he dealt with and was loved by a multitude of family and friends. Gene loved the kids attending schools in the communities he served and many former students

Gene made his public profession of faith in Jesus Christ at Second Baptist Church in Lebanon in 1954. Gene was ordained as a deacon by the First Baptist Church in Stockton in the early 1970s. Upon his death, he was a member of the South Haven Baptist Church in Springfield.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents, James and Grace Caudle, his sister, Barbara, and his daughter, Kristi, who died in 2001.

Although age and disease made Gene's last years difficult, he will forever be remembered for the caring he had for the students in each of the communities he served as well as the love he had for his family and friends. He may be gone but, for anyone who knew Gene, he will never be forgotten.

Services Wednesday in the Stockton Christian Church at 10:00 AM with burial in Mt Rose Memorial Park, Lebanon at 2:00 PM. Visitation Tuesday 6 to 8 PM.