Eugene A. ‘Gene’ Feddema
1933-June 28, 2023
Sartell
Eugene Alfred “Gene” Feddema, 89, died peacefully June 28, 2023, at Country Manor Nursing Home in Sartell. His funeral was held July 6 in St. Augustine Catholic Church, St. Cloud. Burial was at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church Cemetery, Sauk Rapids.
Feddema was surrounded in his final days by his loving immediate family and siblings.
Feddema was born in 1933 to Alphonse and Dorothy (Krippner) Feddema. He grew up on a farm northwest of St. Cloud, attended country school through the eighth grade, and went on to graduate from Cathedral High School in 1951. He served in the Army in Korea as a supply sergeant. He married Shirley Stark on Aug. 6, 1960, after meeting her at a dance at the Benton County Fairgrounds.
Feddema excelled at sports and had a long, flourishing amateur baseball run, playing many years for Sauk Rapids. He attended St. Cloud Business School, then began his successful career as a wholesale granite monument salesman. He was employed for 48 years by Royal Melrose/Cold Spring Granite Co. His sales territory was mainly the Southeastern United States, where he often traveled to meet clients and attend conventions. He was a talented relationship-builder, appreciated by rural dealers for his commitment and approachability.
A long-time member of St. Augustine Church and Knights of Columbus, Feddema was a man of great Catholic faith, and loved his family. He enjoyed following his sons’ sports participation, the Minnesota Twins and Vikings, and working in his extensive garden. He kept up with the many people he knew in the community, remembering – from afar or close up – the details of people’s lives, their interests, jobs and more. He was also known for his love of “dad jokes” and kept a collection of joke clips in his wallet at the ready. At Country Manor, where he most recently lived, he was known for his daily – and very social – walks with his walker around campus.
Survivors include the following: his children Laurel (John), Steve, Tom (Dana), Greg (Kelly) and Kevin (Becky) and 10 grandchildren: Andy, Jackson, Matthew, Carolyn, Lauren, Kate, Natalie, Julianne, Kallie (Mike) and Brian; brother Richard (Rita) Feddema and sister, Eileen Iburg.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Shirley; his parents; and sisters Marie Stock and Joan Traut.
Obituary and guest book available online: www.williamsdingmann.com.
