Eugene (Gene) Harold Cleveland, age 103 of Ventura, CA, passed away on May 29, 2024.
Gene was born in Des Moines, Iowa on October 30, 1920, to parents De Lafayette Cleveland and Patti Leutzinger.
Gene graduated from South Des Moines High School in 1938. Eugene spent most of his work career in the aerospace industry, working as a technical writer. Eugene was very good at building his own stereo systems, as well as his mechanical abilities to work on cars. He was a real "car" guy!
Eugene was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943. He left New York Harbor on D-Day, 1944. Once he arrived in Normandy, he was assigned to the
314th Infantry, 79 Division. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge in 1944-45, while earning a Silver Star for his bravery in catching a machine gun nest of Germans with his only weapon being a frozen B.A.R. He was later awarded a Bronze Star, and on Veterans Day 2022, he was awarded the French Legion of Honor.
Eugene was the best example of The Greatest Generation! He will be dearly missed by all of us!
He is survived by his son Richard Dietz, Richard's spouse Carmen, his grandson Rich Dietz and his wife, Mary, granddaughter Mary Pederson, and her husband, Mike, four great-granddaughters, Julia Jones, Lily Jones, Katelyn Dietz, Adeline Dietz, and his former daughter-in-law, Susan Dietz.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hospice Care. The family wishes to extend their gratitude to Gene's wonderful caregivers, Manuela, Cathy, Salma, Monique, and little Mia.
Family and friends are invited to a Visitation at 12:00noon on Friday, June 14, 2024, with a Funeral Service at 1:00pm in the BOYKO & REARDON TELEGRAPH ROAD MORTUARY & CREMATION, 15 Teloma Drive, Ventura.