Gene Hand

1940 - 2021

Gene Hand
4/13/40 - 2/19/21
C. Gene Hand III, of Eugene, OR, passed away at age 80 on February 19 at his home surrounded by family.
Gene was born on April 13, 1940 in Walla Walla, WA to Claude Eugene Hand II and Erildean Hand. He was raised and educated in Walla Walla and La Grande, OR, graduating from Eastern Oregon University in 1962 where he won racing awards on the competitive ski team and served as a ski instructor.
After spending six months traveling in Europe, he later married Patsy Hutchinson in La Grande.
Gene served as a sergeant/specialist 5 in the U.S. National Guard and active army reserves for several years and shared fond yet scary memories of training at Fort Ord in California and standing guard all night during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
After working as a top sales agent and staff manager at American National Insurance Company in Eugene, he founded C. Gene Hand & Company in 1971, a solo and joint investment venture focusing on nursing homes, skilled nursing and residential care facilities in the Northwest.
With an Oregon principal broker real estate license, Gene also arranged multi-state financing for commercial real estate with an emphasis on the senior housing market.
A dedicated member for more than 30 years of the Eugene Executives Association (EEA), Gene also served on many boards of directors over the years, including for the Eugene Hotel Retirement Center, Payless Longterm Care Pharmacy and The Salvation Army.
A true renaissance man, he couldn't imagine ever being bored. He was an avid reader with a curious mind, with many skills and passions including playing classical and jazz piano, archeology and geology. He was involved in a family gold mining project with a hard rock claim near Halfway, Oregon producing a grapefruit-size sample of white quartz and gold currently at the Smithsonian Museum.
Gene had a lifetime fascination with cars and engines since growing up working at his father's Ford dealership. That's where he learned to build cars, including a cherry red and chrome 1927 Model T Roadster which was shown on the national hot rod circuit and featured in the February 1966 issue of Hot Rod magazine.
He earned his pilot's license, enjoyed hiking and backpacking on Steens Mountain and sold his metal sculptures in Oregon and California in his 20s. He amassed an impressive Lionel train collection that he kept in mint condition until selling it a few years ago.
Gene's daughters have fond memories of him coaching their t-ball and softball teams. He was also a great dancer, especially of the tango, much to his wife's amazement.
His family was particularly proud when he decided in his 60s to completely rebuild and restore two Gar Wood antique mahogany speedboats including creating custom engine parts and doing the same for a Chris-Craft antique speedboat while a member of the Antique & Classic Boat Society. His artistry and attention to detail created beautiful, one-of-a-kind masterpieces.
Around this same time, Gene also restored and rebuilt a 1948 Hudson with a flathead V-8 engine which he raced at the Bonneville Salt Flats, winning two land speed racing world records, one which still stands today.
His warmth, steadfast support and hilarious sense of humor will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
Survivors include his wife, Patsy of Eugene; daughter Andrea Hand of Portland; daughter Stephanie Hand & son-in-law Scott Goldstein of Eugene, daughter Erica Hand & son-in-law Shem Malone of Portland; four grandchildren Zachary and Riley Goldstein, Navarre and India Malone, sister and brother-in-law, Cheryl and John Howton of La Grande.
In lieu of funeral services due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the family will hold a private memorial later in the year.
Please sign the guest book at www.registerguard.com/legacy