Eugene C. Christian

Eugene C. Christian March 13, 1940 – November 1, 2017 Eugene C. Christian, 77, passed away Wednesday November 1, 2017, at his home in Lacy Lakeview, Texas. Services will be held 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, November 7, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home, with Marvin Whittenburg and Harley Gordon officiating. Burial will follow at Waco Memorial Park. Visitation will be 6:00-8:00 p.m., Monday, November 6, at the funeral home. Gene was born in Marlin, Texas, March 13, 1940, to Olin C. and Laura Christian. He was the eldest brother to 11 siblings. He entered the Navy in 1958 on the buddy program with Elze Knecht, where he obtained his GED, ranked as Apprentice Petty Officer Third Class, and completed and gained the certification as Boiler and Feed Water Testing and Treatment Tech on the USS Shangri-la, given at Puget Sound Naval shipyard in 1960. After an Honorable Discharge, he met and married Patricia Ann Twigg, also of Marlin in 1963. They moved to Waco where Gene worked at Braswell Freight Lines as one of the youngest terminal managers in Waco. During this period of time, he completed courses at Durham Business College, correspondence courses from Texas A&M in freight and traffic, and attended the Dale Carnegie Courses. In 1965 he accepted a position with Yellow Freight Lines, as operations manager later becoming terminal manager. In 1981 he started his own freight business, Christian Transportation Inc., which is currently still in operation. Gene was a member of Sanger Avenue Baptist Church, where he taught Sunday school and was ordained as a Deacon in 1975. He later moved his membership to Beacon Hill Baptist Church, where it remained until his death. Gene was not considered an indoor type of individual; he played the guitar, camped, fished, hunted, rode 4-wheelers and dirt bikes, played golf, enjoyed tending to his yard, landscaping, and gardening - anything outdoors. If you ever had many conversations with Gene, you'd quickly know that he was a Godly man, kind, gentle and humble. He was very generous, not only in time but with patience. Gene is preceded in death by his father and mother, Olin & Laura Christian; his loving wife, Patricia Twigg Christian; his beloved brother, Jerry Christian of Marlin; and sisters, Della Whitaker of Chilton, Carolyn Brooks of Oklahoma City, Diane Kemp of Riesel. He is survived by sisters, Freda Lockhart , Patsy Borak, Linda Jackson, Judy Patterson, Lynn Chaney; brothers, Olin and Terry Christian; his daughter, Kimberly Lake and husband, Chad, and grandson, Hunter, of Longview; his son, Timothy Christian and wife, Shirley, of Colorado Springs, and grandson, Fred and wife, Mariah, granddaughter, Erika and husband, Jason, and granddaughters, Christina and Donna; great-grandsons, Adrian, Easton and Logan; and great­ granddaughter, Courtney. Pallbearers will be John Patterson, Charles Embrey, Randy Goeke, Kenneth Freeman, John Santos, Mark McKee, and Mike Whilet. Honorary pallbearers will be Elze Knecht and James Underwood. The family invites you to leave a message or memory on our “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com.