Charles "Gene" E Wyant Jr.

Gene was born June 3, 1933 in Salem, Oregon to Charles E. Sr. and Gladys E. (Pryor) Wyant. He was the oldest of four children. He was raised in the Church of God. Gene attended Salem Christian Academy and graduated in 1951. That fall he began one semester at Willamette University before feeling the call of duty to his country and enlisting in the Air Force. He left for basic training in March 1952. He completed basic training at Parks Air Force Base then spent time at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado. From there he served one year at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas then was sent to French Morocco for eighteen months. He finished out his four years of service at Sampson Air Force Base before returning home to Salem, Oregon. Once home, he finished his education at Willamette University, earning his Bachelor of Music Education degree in June of 1959. He then married his youth-group sweetheart, Wilma J Hooper on August 6, 1959. They spent 56 years together until her death on August 22, 2015. Gene is survived by his son Ed and wife Angie, and his son Mark and husband James Vincent. He has three grandchildren, Aubrey and husband Daniel Gomez, Jeff Wyant and wife Michelle, and Chad Wyant. He has five great grandchildren, Grace, Wilder, Silas, Lily and Henry. Gene has one surviving sister, Paula Chase. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Donald Wyant Sr. and sister, Cindy (Wyant) Sotelo.