WILMINGTON — Walter Eugene “Gene” Horne, 70, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018, at the Lower Cape Fear Hospice and LifeCare Center.
Gene was born Sept. 2, 1947, in Union, S.C.. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mildred Horne and Herbert Horne; and brother, Wayne Horne.
He leaves behind his wife, Barbara Horne; sister, Faye Watson; two sons, Bobby Horne, and his wife, Dawn Horne, and Tommy Horne, and his wife, Tonia Horne; daughter, Susie Horne; stepchildren, Sheila Milliken, Keith Kennedy and Steve Kennedy; four grandchildren, Amber Burkhart, Cody Milliken and Alex and Zach Horne; and three great-grandchildren, Lizzie Milliken, McKinna Milliken and Landon Burkhart.
Gene enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard in 1965 and retired in 1986 with the rank of chief petty officer and later retired from Evergreens Nursing Center in Greensboro. Gene was a member of the Chief Petty Officers Association, Wilmington Lodge No. 319 A.F. & A.M., Sudan Shrine Center in New Bern, N.C., and the Wilmington Shrine Club. He enjoyed fishing, building anything, boating, any music, and good ole hamburgers and hotdogs.
A celebration of life ceremony will be held 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 24, at Wilmington Funeral Chapel officiated by Dr. Kenneth Beverly. The family will see friends one hour prior to the service.
As an expression of sympathy memorial contributions may be made to Lower Cape Fear Hospice Foundation at tmcfunding.com and Shriners Hospitals for Children at tmcfunding.com.
Share online condolences with the family at wilmingtoncares.com.
