The Story: Chapter 9 - Retirement Years (1960–1974)
 In 1959, after almost 30 years of teaching, Gene retired
from the faculty. He had turned 65,
becoming eligible for retirement. He
was also in poor health, suffering from dizzy spells, heart problems and black
outs. When asked if he ever
regretted retiring at that time he said “No. Not for a moment. There have been probably a half a dozen times in the last ten
or eleven years that in the fall when I know school is opening and I know there
will be an influx of freshman to be counseled and new classes to be taught, and
so forth, I’ve had kind of a hunger to go back for a day or two, in fact I
have dreamed about it a few times, but no, it was a very wise thing for me to
do.” Gene stayed very active with
Graceland after retirement, especially in support of the athletic programs. Gene is noted as being one of the five “Graceland
Greats”.
 Gene always considered Lamoni his home.
Jim, Gene’s son, asked him after he retired from Graceland where he
planned to go. He simply stated,
“We are staying right here because this is our home and where are friends
are”.
 Gene loved salted fish from Maine. In fact, he
loved salt itself. His wife Judy has remarked that she would get
frustrated with Gene because he would start salting his food before even tasting
it. He also enjoyed Brown Bread, Peanut Brittle and Mincemeat, all of
which he made. He also enjoyed Sweet Bread and just about any kind of potatoes.
 One of the activities that kept Gene busy after he retired
was the endless hours he spent in his gardens.
Friends and family would see him out in the middle of the field, bent
over at the waist, pulling weeds out of his garden.
 After retiring, Judy and Gene went on several trips around
the world. These trips included Holland, England, and Japan among others.
 In 1965, Gene’s youngest son, Jim and his family, moved
to Lamoni. Jim purchased some land
from Gene that was adjacent to Gene and Judy’s property. Jim and Ellie built a house there and raised their three
sons. Gene enjoyed his frequent
visits with his grandsons. Judy and Ellie became the best of friends, an
unusual Mother-in-Law/Daughter-in-Law relationship.
The
College bestowed a fine honor upon Gene and his family in recognizing his
contributions to the College and its students, especially his everlasting
support for the athletics programs, by naming the Physical Education Center
after him. The Eugene E. Closson
Physical Education Center was dedicated in 1968.
Gene loved all his grandchildren and they all loved him very much. He
would put them on his lap and tell them stories. He enjoyed having
children around him. His grandkids are Vic, Susan, Julie, Paul, Cal, Mary
Lee, Brad, Jeff, Carol and Kelly. They all enjoyed the time they spent with
"Grandpa". He had a kind way with kids, especially his
grandkids. Unfortunately, he did not know any of his
thirteen great-grandchildren,
although Judy knew and loved them all. All of Gene's grandkids agree that he is always
watching over his
entire brood.
 In 1966, Gene was diagnosed with cancer of the bladder.
The doctors at that time gave him six months to live.
Even though he had to endure a lot of pain and discomfort during those
six years, his entire family agreed that those last six years were wonderful!
Gene passed away at home in Lamoni, Iowa on February 10,
1974. He was surrounded by his family. His body was donated to the
University of Iowa Medical School. A memorial service was held on February
13, 1974 at the RLDS Church in Lamoni, Iowa. He was buried at Rose Hill
Cemetery in Lamoni, Iowa on April 4, 1975 buy his family.
Following are the remarks made by Gene's son Jim at his
memorial service:
Eugene E. Closson Memorial Service
February 13, 1974
RLDS Church, Lamoni, Iowa
(Jim Closson's Remarks)
"I appreciate you coming to this worship service in
memory of my father. My mother, my
brother, Ed, and my sister, Mary Jane, are thankful for such people as you and
the friends we have in the Church and in the community.
Lamoni is our home, not just for us children, but also it
is home for Mom and Dad. I asked
Dad after he retired from Graceland where he planned to go. He simply stated that “we are staying right here because
this is our home and where are friends are”.
I appreciate this opportunity to pay tribute to my
father, my teacher, and my friend. Mom,
Ed, and Mary Jane, together with Sally, Chet, and Ellie share with me this
privilege I have today. My hope is
that I will represent them well in my remarks to you.
Dad was very close to all of us. He had a way of getting real close with a few people.
Some of you here have had that kind of relationship with him.
He was always the focal point of the family.
We all looked to him for advice and counsel on most of our major
decisions, even as adults (Engagement to Ellie story).
However, if you know us very well at all, you know that we are all
capable of making our own decisions, but we always felt good about talking thins
over with Dad. If we didn’t want
to take his advice, that was all right with him. Mom has always been this way with us too.
His grandchildren, his son-in-law, and his
daughters-in-law were also very close and special to him…. As was he to them.
A special person, as Gene Closson was claimed to be, at least within the
Church, Lamoni and College communities, is often not as close to his family ad
Dad was. We will miss him!
Many people through the years have been drawn to Dad, as
he was drawn to them. His
association with students over the years as their teacher, counselor and friend
earned him the affectionate titles of “Double E”, “Doc” and even a few
called him “Pop”, such as my good friend here, Orville Hiles.
Dad was a person who was totally involved.
Where ever he would go, or whatever he did, he would throw himself into
it 100 per cent. He was what you
would call a “participator.” (Story about my political affiliation: “Jim, you should get
involved, be active – even if it means being a Republican!”)
He was so busy that as a child, I remember a typical day being somewhat
like this:
He would get up in the morning before any of the rest of
us and build a fire of wood and coal in our furnace; go do the chores, which
consisted partially of milking the cows, feeding the horses, chickens and hogs;
he would then come back home, clean up and change clothes and often fix sweet
bread for our breakfast. Then he
would go to the College, teach his classes, serve on committees, counsel with
students and spend with the athletic teams.
After a late supper and the evening chores, he would either have a group
of students over to the house, go back to the College or out of town for the
games, or go to the Coliseum where he was the manager.
Late at night, after we were all in bed, he would study and prepare for
his classes. I remember many nights
he was called out late to administer to someone or give counsel to a student
with a serious problem.
Every summer he was gone from home, either going to do
more graduate work to help in his teaching and counseling or going around the
country encouraging students to come to Graceland, or both.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Church were very
important to Dad. Even though he
would often ask God to spare him from some religious experiences, he would have
them anyway. (The reason he wanted
to be spared is that they always meant more responsibility).
The Church and his experiences in it, and because of it, contributed
greatly to the direction his life took. The
Holy Spirit definitely served as his “comforter” the last few years during
his time of severe illness, and helped him to develop a philosophy regarding
dying, that helped him, as well as the rest of us.
Besides his dedication to the Church, his chief concern
was to teach and help young people at Graceland.
This was almost a religion within itself. Some of the students that he became especially close with
noticed that even though he still had concern for them after they left college,
he devoted his efforts towards the “new crop.”
(Example: Alumni games, where he placed his support emphasis on the
current athletes, rather than those old, favorite ones.)
The College bestowed a fine honor upon Dad and our family
in recognizing his contributions to the College and its students by naming the
Physical Education Center after him.
It was exactly six years ago that we found out that Dad
had cancer. The doctors at that
time gave him six months to live. Even
though he had to endure a lot of pain and discomfort during those six years, I
think I can represent mom and the rest of the family and say that those last six
years have been wonderful!!
At this time I would also like to pay tribute to Mom, who
not only always supported Dad in all of his activities, but also has been the
underlying strength and stability of our family. The unending hours she spent as his nurse and the years of
loyalty and devotion to him are to be commended. The open and compatible relationship that my parents had with
each other has certainly been a fine and challenging example for me.
Mom does not take any honor or recognition upon herself, of course, but
Dad’s greatness is in large part due to her support, her possessiveness, her
life – to him and our whole family.
Thank you again, for sharing this time with us!"
Copyright © 2003 - Revised:
04 September 2006
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