Carrol 'Gene' Cabbage, 87

Carrol “Gene” Cabbage passed away peacefully at home on Feb. 7, 2013, surrounded by his loving family. Gene was born in Island, Ky., Dec. 24, 1925, to Isaac and Helen Cabbage.

Gene grew up working on the family farm and loved working with the family horses and was always bringing home stray animals. He then joined the U.S. Navy in 1943. Gene proudly served in both World War II and the Korean War as an aircraft machinist and had a great passion for flying and a love of planes.

Gene met his soon to be wife Bertie Grogan while stationed at Farragut Navel Training Station. Together they had two children, Greg Cabbage and Cheri Cabbage Johnson and four step-children, Tom, Diane, Butch and Mike.

After the military Gene spent his entire career working for the Coeur d’Alene Creamery in production and delivery changing hands several times until retiring from Darigold in 1987.

Gene enjoyed spending time on Lake Coeur d’Alene especially gathered with his family at the Purdy cabin. One of his early hobbies was playing music on his steel guitar and later enjoyed making clocks for his family. He enjoyed spending time with his family and watching westerns and was a big fan of WWF “wrestling.”

Gene’s family and friends lovingly remember that he was a man of few words but had a wonderful sense of humor and was a very devoted family man.

Gene is preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Dorus and Daniel Cabbage; and his sisters, Eloise Squires, Martha Purdy and most recently Etta Rhea Kerr; and daughter-in-law Shannon Cabbage.

Gene is survived by his brother, John Cabbage; his son, Greg Cabbage; daughter Cheri Johnson and son-in-law Roger Johnson; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013, at the First Presbyterian Church on Lakeside in Coeur d’Alene with graveside services following at Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens on Government Way in Dalton Gardens.