Funeral services for Eugene "Gene" Sass, age 80, of Hettinger, ND will be Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Hettinger. Fr. Chad Gion will officiate and burial will follow at the Hettinger Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 4 at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Hettinger and one hour prior to the funeral on Wednesday morning at the church.


EUGENE ROBERT SASS was born May 19, 1927, in Warsaw, ND to John and Catherine (Prondzinski) Sass. He grew up in the Grafton, ND area. When he was 18 he worked for Elvin Keiley learning the electrical trade. They wired farmsteads as the REA came through from Grafton to Williston and south to Bowman and Hettinger. After arriving in Hettinger, he worked at several local businesses before starting his own business as an electrician. He took pride in his trade and worked as an electrician until the last year of his life.


He met the love of his live, Marlene Miller, when she waited on him at the local cafe in Hettinger. They were married April 19, 1953. To this union four children were born; Robert, Linda, David and Tamera.


In addition to being an electrician, Gene served on the volunteer fire department for 26 years. He was fire chief from 1968 to 1972.


In earlier years Gene enjoyed hunting and fishing. He loved to garden and always made sure he got the first of his potato crop in on Good Friday, even if it had to go in a bucket. He enjoyed puzzle books, scratch tickets and trips to the casino. He also loved having a beer and playing a good game of pinochle with his buddies. He bragged that not many could beat him. Most of all he loved the time he spent with his family, especially his two grandchildren. Gene passed away on Saturday December 1, 2007 at the West River Regional Medical Center with his family by his side after a lengthy illness. In Lieu of flowers a memorial will be established.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife of 54 years, Marlene; daughter Linda Sass, Wahpeton, ND; son David Sass, Breckenridge, MN, daughter Tamera Sass, Fort Collins, CO; granddaughter Summer Valleen, Wahpeton, ND; grandson Matthew Sass, Big Lake, MN; sister-in-law Rita Sass, Grafton, ND; many nieces and nephews; special friends Barbara Staples, Bill and Kathy Knudson and all his friends and pinochle buddies.


Gene was preceded in death by his parents John and Catherine Sass; son Robert in 1978; brothers Edwin, Aurelian, Leonard, Ernest and John; sisters Isabel, Irene, and Virginia.


P.S. Don't worry about his pinochle skills getting rusty. Father Chad assured him there's pinochle in Heaven.