Gene David LaFavor

Published June 01, 2021 at 4:14 PM

Gene David LaFavor passed away on May 27, 2021, at the Sioux Falls VA Medical Center in South Dakota.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 5, 2021, at 1 p.m. at the Garrison Community Alliance Church at 9475 Jefferson Street, Garrison, Minnesota. Full military honors will be presented by the Brainerd VFW Post 1647. A luncheon will follow the service.

Gene was born September 12, 1941, in rural Crow Wing County, Minnesota, to Raymond and Irene (Bacon) LaFavor. He proudly served his country in the US Army from January 1959 until he retired in January 1984. He served in Vietnam 1967-1968. On May 29, 1977, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology with a minor in Photography from Winona State University through the Army’s Operation Boot Strap Program. After retiring from the Army he went through the Natural Resources and Carpentry programs at the Brainerd Technical Institute. In 1990, he began working for the State of Minnesota as a Sentence to Service Crew Leader until his retirement in 2003.

Gene married Sheryl Lynn Sullivan on October 16, 1965. They and their children had many adventures around the world together. He was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend. He adored his five grandchildren as well as his daughter-in-law’s family.

Gene loved God wholeheartedly and enjoyed fellowship at the Garrison Community Alliance Church for over 26 years. He was also involved with the Jail Ministry at the Crow Wing County Jail and with the Crow Wing County Fair.

Gene is preceded in death by his parents and sister-in-law Diana (Jim) LaFavor.

Gene is survived by his wife Sheryl; daughter Melissa (Guy) Voss; son Bruce (Josephine) LaFavor; his six brothers, James of Green Valley, AZ; Ronald (Ordway), St. Paul, MN; Larry (Merley) Rochester, MN; Richard (Sally) Two Harbors, MN; Jon (Pam), North Branch, MI; and Jay (Laura), Hovland, MN; his grandchildren, Caleb, Melia, Isaac, Aeden, and Tessa Voss; mother-in-law, Eleanor Sullivan; and many, many more beloved relatives.