Ralph Eugene Padgett Ralph Eugene “Gene” Padgett, 92, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 21, 2020. Gene was surrounded by family at his home in Winslow at the time of his passing. Services are postponed at this time, the family will send an update in the future. Gene was born in Ring, Texas, in 1928 and grew up in Odessa. When he was 17 he enlisted in the Army where he became a paratrooper and was stationed in Japan. You would never know by his cool and relaxed demeanor but Gene was also a respected boxer during his time in the Army. After discharging from the Army, Gene completed training in auto body mechanics and married the love of his life, Frankie, in 1957 and they remained married for 63 years before his passing. In 1959, after working under several different auto body shops, Gene opened his own shop “Gene’s Body and Fender” on Third Street where he worked for the next 50 years until retiring at the age of 80. Gene was a very kind man who never lost his temper. He enjoyed camping in the forest, water skiing and relaxing at the lake, and making music with his guitar and banjo. He worked hard but made sure to enjoy life; always being silly and possessing the natural gift to tell the best bedtime stories. Gene was preceded in death by his mother, Lennie Daves; father, Mitchell Padgett; step-father, Albert Bryant; brother and sister, Raymond and Ruth, and his beautiful daughter, Darla Padgett. He is survived by his wife, Frankie Padgett; son, Michael (Charlene) Dugger; daughters, Rhonda (Mark) Coleman and Gina (John) McCauley; grandchildren, Sheri, Dale, Elizabeth, Jonathan, Joshua, Jacque, Jaime, Jeserae, Dustin and Dominique. Gene also had 10 great-grandchildren with one on the way and one great-great-grandchild. Greer’s Mortuary handled the arrangements.
