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Visitation:
10 a.m. Saturday, January 13, 2024 at Epiphany
Catholic Church, Normal
Service:
11 a.m. Saturday at the church
Funeral home:
Carmody-Flynn Funeral Home, Bloomington
To express condolences online, please
visit
www.carmodyflynn.com.
Obituary
F. E. “Gene” Liesman, 86, of
Bloomington, passed away on Sunday, January 7, 2024
at his home surrounded by his loving family.
His memorial mass will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday,
January 13, 2024 at Epiphany Catholic Church,
Normal, where a visitation will be one hour prior to
services. A private inurnment will be at Holy Cross
Cemetery, Normal. Cremation rites have been
accorded. Carmody-Flynn Funeral Home is assisting
the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, St. Joseph’s Indian
School, PO Box 326, Chamberlain, SD 57326 or to
Carle Hospice.
To express condolences online, please visit
www.carmodyflynn.com.
Gene was born February 15, 1937 in Lincoln, son of
Raymond F. and Alma Minder Liesman, who both
preceded him in death. He married his high school
sweetheart, Carol A. Larson on September 6, 1958 at
St Patrick Catholic Church, Lincoln. They have lived
a long, wonderful life together, celebrating their
65th wedding anniversary last September with their
family.
In addition to Carol, Gene is survived by their
three children, Mike (Colleen) Liesman, Bloomington,
Laura (Chris) Spitzig, Verona, WI and Linda (Tim)
Hoefft, Morton. He is also survived by seven
grandchildren, Matt Liesman, Kerrie (Josh) Grant,
Natalie (Kyle) Engeling, Taylor (Bri) Zeilinger and
Kyle Hoefft, Hannah (Kyle) Garcia and Emma Hoefft
and five great-grandchildren, all of whom enjoyed
many “Liesman Family Get-Togethers” for
Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays and weddings,
where they always had lots of fun.
Gene grew up in Lincoln and graduated from Lincoln
High School, where he participated in basketball,
football and track. He was a proud member of the
1955 Lincoln Railsplitters basketball team that made
the IHSA State Tournament in Champaign. After high
school, Gene attended SIU-Carbondale and graduated
with a Masters Degree in Director of Parks and
Outdoor Education.
During Gene’s career, he served as
Director of Parks for the Broadview (IL) Park
District during the 1960’s and also served as an
officer of the Midwest Institute of Park Executives. |
He worked as an insurance broker for Frank B.
Hall & Co in Chicago during the 1970’s and 80’s, finishing
his career there as Vice President. From there, he and Carol
operated a Karmelkorn franchise in St. Charles, before
retiring in the early 1990’s.
He was a charter member of the Broadview Exchange Club and
was active in the St. Charles Exchange Club, where they
moved in 1972. He was a member of the Kishwaukee Country
Club in DeKalb, where he enjoyed playing golf and he also
served as President of the Lake Charlotte HOA in St.
Charles. He was also an active member of St. Patrick’s
Parish in St. Charles, where they lived for 30 years before
moving to Bloomington in 2003.
In his retirement years, Gene enjoyed attending his
grandchildren’s sporting activities and rooting on his
favorite teams; St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Fighting
Illini and the Purdue Boilermakers. He also enjoyed reading
about history, especially World War II, a war in which his
father proudly served. Gene passed on to his children his
love for golf and sports and he enjoyed his time with his
family and friends, of which, he had many. |
