Gene Cathcart

Gene Lewis Cathcart, 96, died on Wednesday October 26, 2016 at the Golden Living Center in Roseville, Minnesota.  Gene was born on June 21, 1920 in Detroit, Michigan to Wilbur and Marella Cathcart.  After growing up in Detroit and graduating from high school, Gene enlisted in the U.S. Army.  He was a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War.  In between those military stints, Gene moved to Grand Marais, MN, married Joyce Younk, and built homes in Grand Marais for his parents and his own family home.  It was also during those years that he became a Master Electrician and launched the North Shore Electric Shop.

Gene was an active member of the community.  He joined the Masonic Lodge, the Lions Club, the American Legion, the Sawtooth Mountain Ski Club, and the Gunflint Hills Golf Club.  He served as chairman of the Grand Marais Public Utilities Commission for many years.

After raising their family, Gene and Joyce moved to Bloomfield, NM where Gene continued to work as an electrician until his retirement in 1983.  In his later years Gene enjoyed woodcarving, playing golf, and painting water color portraits of his family members.  Gene and Joyce managed the Enchantment Village Trailer Park  until Joyce’s death in 2006.  Gene then moved back to Minnesota and has lived at the North Ridge Masonic Home in New Hope, MN for the past 9 years.

Gene was preceded in death by his brother Wilbur Jr., his sister Rosetta Peterson, his parents, his wife, and his granddaughter Heather Cathcart.  He is survived by his children Terry (Sue), Peggy Bonneville (Ken), Scotty (Pam) and  his “adopted son”/nephew Philip Gene Peterson,(Joanne), along with his niece Daaiyah Kashif, his brother-in-law Nick Younk (Jane) and 7 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren, and numerous grand and great grand nieces and nephews.

A Masonic memorial service for Gene will be held at the Cavallin Funeral Home in  Grand Marais at 1:00 pm  on Saturday November 19.  A burial service will follow at the Maple Hill Cemetery near Grand Marais.