Obituary - Harley George Gench

Harley George (Bill) Gench, 91 of Adrian, MO died December 6, 2010 at the Adrian Manor Nursing Home in Adrian, MO. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, December 11, 2010 at the First United Methodist Church in Adrian with visitation from 10:00-11:00 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery in Butler, MO. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the church, Adrian Manor Nursing Home or Crossroads Hospice.


Bill was born February 16, 1919 in Bates County Missouri, the son of Lewis Frederick and Ida Elisabeth (Bartz) Gench. He attended Bever School in Bates County. He worked on the family farm until the age of 18 when he went to Idaho to work in the potato fields during the fall months.


In 1940 Bill worked for Consolidated Air Craft in San Diego, California building B-24's and returning to Kansas City to work at North American Aircraft before enlisting with the Merchant Marines. He worked as an oiler and fireman in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Pacific, and Middle East until August 1945. After returning to Adrian, Bill was co-owner of Hirni and Gench Hardware store in Adrian until selling the store in 1977. He was married to Betty Jean Williams on April 7, 1951 and to this union one daughter was born, Nancy Lou. Bill was an avid fisherman and hunter and spent many weeks in Colorado over the years at his favorite lakes. When Bill was 73 he took up a new hobby of snow skiing. His last ski trip was at the age of 86.


Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Betty, a sister and brother-in-law, Ola and Claude Shook and brother-in-law, George Cumpton. He is survived by his daughter, Nancy Sitzmann and her husband, Bryan of Kansas City, MO; two sisters, Ella Cumpton and Clara Mae Cumpton and her husband, Arthur, all of Butler, Mo.; grandchildren, Devin Wallace and his wife, Maria of Kansas City, MO, Tyson Wallace of Littleton, Colorado, step-grandchildren, Christopher Sitzmann of Oakland, California, Sarah Kovacs and her husband, Peter of Grenoble, France and Bryan Daniel Sitzmann of Kansas City, MO; nieces, Sue Kershner of Amoret, MO, Patty Gorman and her husband, David of Ft. Scott, KS, Charmaine Ketron and Karen Cooper, both of Butler, MO, Stephen Williams and his wife, Susan, Tom James and his wife, Teresa, all of Olean, MO, Donna Schubert of Tuscumbia, MO and several great nieces and great nephews.