M Eugene "Gene" Held

M. Eugene "Gene" Held, 79, of Hinton passed away Thursday, Oct. 19, 2006, at a Sioux City hospital following a sudden illness.

Services will be 2 p.m. Monday at Hinton United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Don Wood officiating. Burial will be in Floyd Valley Cemetery, rural Hinton. Visitation will be 2 to 4 p.m. today at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel in Sioux City. Visitation will resume 5 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m., and a 7 p.m. prayer service, at the church in Hinton. Online condolences may be sent to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Gene was born Oct. 29, 1926, on the family farm in Hinton, to Albert and Neva (Royer) Held. He grew up in Hinton and attended Hinton schools, graduating from Hinton High School. As a youth, he was active in the county 4-H program showing cattle at fairs. He served in the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1952. While in the service, he bought his first camera and developed an interest in photography. He took champion pictures at the Plymouth County Fair for 25 years and was a member of the Sioux City Camera Club for 50 years.

Gene married Annette Copper on Aug. 30, 1953, in Omaha, Neb. He farmed in the Hinton area all of his life.

He was a lifetime member of Hinton United Methodist Church, where he was baptized and confirmed. Gene enjoyed gardening and traveling.

Survivors include his wife, Annette of Hinton; a son, Kevin E. Held of Hinton; a daughter, Kirsten Held of Madison, Wis.; a brother, R. Burnell Held and his wife, Edith of Fort Collins, Colo.; three sisters, Shirley E. Held of Ames, Iowa, Hallie O'Kelley and her husband, Charles of Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Joan Dirksen and her husband, Ray of Sibley, Iowa; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Pallbearers will be Bob Bennett, Robert Held, Bill Holtgrew, Clark Schmitz, Mike Shea, Roger Price and Ed Vondrak.

Memorials may be sent to Plymouth County Historical Museum in Le Mars, Iowa or the Plymouth County Fair Association.