Eugene E. Vincelette
Gene Vincelette passed away on August 3, 2010 at the age of 89. Gene was born on a large cattle ranch on June 10, 1921 in Baker, Montana. Following the depression years (c.1935-36) he moved with his parents to Silver Gate, MT, one mile from the Northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park. He lived there with his parents, brothers and sisters, attending school in the one-room school house of Cooke City, MT. That one room school house became the incubator for many Cooke City and Silver Gate legends. He went to Billings and lived with an older sister and her husband in order to attend high school. He was a member of Billings Senior High’s first graduating class.
He married Magdalena Klos of Roundup, MT in Hollywood, California in 1942.
World War II was raging on both the European and the Pacific
fronts. He returned to Billings to enlist and serve in the
United States Army on the Pacific Front during World War II. He
became part of the occupational forces stationed in Japan and
the Philippines following the war. Following WW II Gene attended
Billings Business College and became an accountant. He realized
after a few years that a boy raised in the Beartooth Mountains
gets bored in the four walls of an office wearing a suit. He
became a carpenter building and remodeling homes in the Billings
and Silver Gate areas. His first wife, Klosie passed away in
1969 after 27 years of marriage. They raised two children,
Arlene and Gary. Late Gene married Charlotte Stroh in 1974. They
were married for 33 years when Charlotte passed away in 2007.
Gene was the youngest of 8 older brothers and sisters who have
all preceded him in death. He is survived by his son, Gary Vincelette (of Evansville, Indiana, wife Terri) and his
daughter, Arlene Swimley (of Billings, MT, husband Bruce).
Gene has four grand children from Gary: Geoffrey, Aimée,
Guy, and Gabriel and 8 great grand children, whom all live
in New England. Gene has two grand children from Arlene:
Joshua (Seattle, WA) and Elisabeth (Billings).
Visitation will be 1-8pm Thursday at
Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary. Funeral service is to be held at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary
at 2 PM Friday, August 6 followed by internment at Sunset
Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers Gene and his family prefer that you make a gift, if so inclined, to a memorial set up in Gene Vincelette’s name to the Cooke City Community/Museum. Address: P.O. Box 1134, Cooke City, MT 59020 or direct via web: www.cookecitychamber.org.
Remembrances
Please leave your name and remembrance in this public guest book. Your comments will be shared on this page and forwarded to the family.
It was one of the highlights of my life to work for and know Gene. He taught me many important lessons of life. I will always remember how he always thought the best of people and had a very positive outlook on life. He had tremendous courage dealing with Parkinson's Disease, exercising even when he didn't feel up to it. He wanted to keep walking. The visit I had with him on last Sunday evening and our exercise time together was a prime example of his strength of character.
Bob Hartman
Dear Arlene,
I am so sorry for the loss of your father. He was a very special
person and you will miss him dearly. You were always there for him
and he depended on you in so many ways. I am out of town until next
week, so I will miss the services. My thoughts are with you at this
difficult time.
Love, Marsha Price