Gene E. DeHart Sr., 78, of Nantahala, passed away Tuesday, March 1, 2022, at his residence.
Gene was a native of Clay County and had lived all over the United States including spending three years in Okinawa, Japan, before returning to Salisbury, N.C.
Gene served in the United States Air Force and was a Vietnam veteran. His Air Force career spanned 20 years in which he was a Master Sergeant and worked as security police, radar technician and finally as a recruiter in Salisbury before retirement.
Gene was a member of Bethel Hill Baptist Church.
He was also a member of Andrew Jackson Masonic Lodge No. 576 in Salisbury and a member of the Charlotte Shriners.
He was the son of the late Benjamin Harrison and Alice Ellery Huffman DeHart. He was also preceded in death by two sisters, Bennie Lee Hutchinson and Ellen Hines.
Surviving are his loving wife of 59 years, Bonnie Morgan DeHart; three sons, Gene “Eddie” DeHart Jr. and wife Crystal of Salisbury, Philip DeHart and wife Geneve of The Philippines, and Michael DeHart and wife Jennifer of Seminole, Fla.; 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at Bethel Hill Baptist Church with the Rev. Darrell Dockery officiating. The interment will be in the church cemetery with military honors provided by Shaw Air Force Base. Pallbearers will be Shawn DeHart, Lindsey DeHart, Drew DeHart, Drew Roberts and Chris Hutchinson. Honorary pallbearers will be Ross Silvestro, Johnny Huffman and Johnny Callahan.
The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Friday, March 4, at Ivie Funeral Home, Andrews, where the body will be until placed in the church 30 minutes prior to the services.
The family requests memorials be made in memory of Gene E. DeHart Sr. to 911 Babies Life Village, 9360 Cool Springs Road, Woodleaf, NC 27054 or 911Babies.com.
Ivie Funeral Home, Andrews, is in charge of all arrangements.
An online guest register is available at www.iviefuneralhome.com.