Eugene "Gene" Rozas

Eugene "Gene" Rozas, 79, passed away Monday, Oct. 26, 2009, at his home in Baton Rouge, surrounded by his wife and family. He was a native of Avoyelles Parish. Gene graduated from LSU in 1951 and received the LSU Alumni Association Purple and Gold Award. Gene spent his entire professional engineering career with Dow Chemical Co. at numerous facilities in the U.S. and Canada. He retired from Dow Chemical Co. while at the corporate headquarters in Midland, Mich., where he was an active member of the local Knights of Columbus No. 2141. His work at Dow Chemical was interrupted for two years, when he was drafted to serve in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps at Muscle Shoals, Ala., during the Korean War. After retirement, Gene moved to Baton Rouge, and was an active member of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church. During retirement, Gene was an avid hunter, enjoyed tennis, and was an accomplished skier. His passion for remaining physically fit was interrupted two years ago when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Gene was the beloved husband of Mary Frances Bergob, of Florence, Ala., for 51 years. Gene is survived by his brothers, Paul and wife Em, of Baton Rouge, and Ken and wife Trudy, of Austin, Texas; three widowed sisters, Barbara Reid, Alice Ducote and Joan Thevenot, all of Cottonport; brother-in-law, Arnold "Buddy" Bergob and wife Kathryn and sister-in-law, Dorris Bergob, all in the Florence and Birmingham, Ala., areas; and numerous nieces and nephews. Gene was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Elnora Rozas; sister, Rachel Gaspard; and brother, Roderic "Buster" Rozas. Gene's wife and family express their appreciation to friends, neighbors, and medical personnel, Drs. Lieux, Reine, Johnson; MBPC and St. Joseph's Hospice, all of Baton Rouge, and Dr. Julie Abbott, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, 445 Marquette Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70806, on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 10 a.m. The family will welcome visitors in the church one hour before Mass. A reception will be held in the Parish Activity Center adjacent to the church, immediately after Mass. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to Our Lady of Mercy church/school or Our Lady of Mercy St. Vincent DePaul, both at the church address above or your charity of choice.