Eugene Leroy McKee, age 89 of Newark, Ohio, passed away June 15, 2017.  He was born in Newark on February 8, 1928 to Grace and Clarence McKee.

An oil man most of his working life, Gene was a former employee of the Pure Oil Company in Heath, OH until transferred to a new Union Oil facility near Chicago.  With the opening of a Quaker State refinery in Newell, WV in 1971, Gene joined the management team as Superintendent of Operations and remained there until early retirement in 1987 at which time he returned to Newark.  He joined the staff of Longaberger Golf Club in Nashport, Ohio as a starter upon its opening in 1999.  He loved working there and greeting all of the golfers until retiring in 2010.

Gene was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Newark for 67 years.  He was also a member of Newark Lodge #97 F&AM for over 50 years; and a long-standing member of Elks Lodge 391, where he spent many mornings playing euchre with his friends.

Mr. McKee is survived by his wife of 66 years, Betty Lavelle McKee.  He was the father of twin daughters, Jeanne Elliott (James T. Jr) of Basking Ridge, NJ and Jayne Hire (W. Jeffrey) of Dublin, OH.  He was very proud of his five grandchildren, Katherine Elliott Adams (Dr. Jacob) of Sausalito, CA, James T. Elliott III (Jenna) of New York, NY, Patrick M. Elliott of San Francisco, CA, W. Andrew Hire (Katie) of Columbus, OH and Allison Hire Riebe (Andrew) of Chicago, IL.  He was also very fond of his five great grandchildren, Ellie and Tyler Adams, Eliza and McKee Hire and Charles Riebe.  He leaves a sister, Mrs. Thomas (Olive Ann) Gordon; a brother-in-law, William Lavelle (Virginia); and several nieces and nephews.

Those to precede him were his brother and sister-in-law, Donald W. and Barbara McKee; brother-in-law, Thomas Gordon; and a niece, Lauire McKee Hughes.

Calling hours will be 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Monday, June 19 at Vensil & Chute Funeral Home, 1850 West Main Street, Newark.

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 20at First United Methodist Church, 88 N. Fifth St., Newark with Rev. Steve Rath officiating.  Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Friends are invited to attend a celebration of life at 1:00 p.m. in the Grill Room of Elks Lodge 391, 73 N. Third St., Newark.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the First United Methodist Church of Newark, OH or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).