May 31, 2016
To Gene’s many friends from this blog, sadly, Gene passed away this morning, at home in Ohio with his family, after fighting cancer for several months. I’m sure this will come as a shock as you’ve had no warning. He continued writing up to a few days ago, and actually tried for one last column but could not get it out.
Many years ago, after corresponding for awhile, I met Gene in person when he could not find a publisher for his next book, The Contrary Farmer… and I helped him find one. I spent an afternoon at his home with he and his sweet wife, Carol, and was most struck by his great sense of humor… he just loved to laugh, and he found humor everywhere… as you well know from his writing. Later, I urged him to start a blog and volunteered to create and run it for him… and we, you and I, are all the better for it.
As he wrote at the head of the his books page on this blog:
The fact that people of gentle humor and wisdom comment on my blog posts has been the most pleasant and illuminating experience of my life. Bless all of you. ~Gene
I plan to keep Gene’s blog, with 7 years of his wonderful weekly posts, available online so you may visit whenever you feel the wish to do so.
With a heavy heart,
Dave Smith
~~
