A Memorial Service for Gene Schatz of Whitney, Texas, was held Monday, December 22, 2003 at Zion Lutheran Church, in Manning, Iowa. Reverend Bob Riggert and Reverend Daniel Vogel officiated. Fern Jensen was organist. Burial of cremated remains will be at a later date in the Manning Cemetery in Manning, Iowa.

Gene Authur, son of Eugene and Grace (Jensen) Schatz, was born December 22, 1942, one mile east of Manning, Iowa. Gene was baptized at the Lincoln Township Lutheran Church near Gray, and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Manning. He attended Manning schools from kindergarten through graduation in May 1960. He lived in Iowa most of his life and in Whitney the past 12 years. He received his B.A. degree in Industrial Arts at Iowa State and his M.A. degree in Secondary education at the University of Nebraska. He was a high school administrator for the past 40 years, twenty-eight years in Glenwood, Iowa and the past 12 being the principal in Whitney, Texas. He was a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Whitney and Whitney Lions Club.

On June 14, 1965, he married Helen Mangold at the Lutheran Church in Manning; two daughters were born to this union. On February 8, 1980 in Las Vegas, Nevada Gene was united in marriage to Betty Longmore.

Gene died November 27, 2003, at the Scott and White Hospital in Temple, Texas of bone cancer. On December 5, 2003, memorial services were held at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Whitney, Texas.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, father, Eugene Schatz, and sister, Jennifer Marie Schatz.

Survivors include his wife: Betty Schatz of Hewitt, Texas, formerly of Whitney, Texas; mother: Grace Schatz of Manning, Iowa; half-sister, Sandy and husband Wally Denn of Willows, California; two daughters: Heather and husband Kenny Bressman and their son Reo of Whitney, Texas; and Hillary and husband D.J. Schaper of Orlando, Florida; four step-children: Brett Cabiness and wife, Tracey of Plattsmouth, Nebraska; Bart Cabiness and wife, Robin of Murray, Nebraska; Tracee Dashner of Whitney, Texas; and Christopher Coffin and wife, Melanie of Waco, Texas; step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren: nephew Perry Bronner and wife Suzie and their sons Wyatt and Shane of Chico, California; other relatives and friends.