Gene (Eugene) "Willie" De Smet

Hills, MN        Gene (Eugene) “Willie” De Smet, age 68 of Hills, MN, died Sunday, January 29, 2017, at his home surrounded by family and friends.        Memorial services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, February 2, 2017, at the First Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Falls, SD with Dr. Calvin Hoogendoorn officiating.        Visitation will be Wednesday, February 1, 2017, from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. with the family present at the Jurrens Funeral Home of Hills.        Gene (Eugene) “Willie” De Smet was born February 18, 1948, at the Canton – Inwood Hospital the son of Ted and Emma (Schettler) De Smet Lucas.  Gene grew up in Larchwood where he attended school.  Gene worked in the automotive repair industry for most of his life.  He was an auto painter, and over the years he worked at Billions, JayShon Chevrolet., Stinson Chevrolet, Terry Schulte Chevrolet, Pierre’s Body Shop, BenHurFord, Sioux Falls Ford, Color Mystique, Sioux Plating and Hills Stainless Steel.  On February 5, 1977, he was united in marriage to Audrey (Faber) Fikse.  They made their home in Hills, MN.  Gene was a member of First Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Falls.  He enjoyed attending the South Dakota Auto Body conventions, going camping, and fishing.  Some of the vacations he especially enjoyed were going to the Black Hills with friends, fishing trips with family, and spending time with his children and grandchildren.  His sons and grandsons remember the many conversations about the many cars he enjoyed working on over the years.  Gene was diagnosed with cancer and he died this past Sunday morning, January 29, 2017, at his home in Hills with his family by his side.      He is survived by his wife, Audrey De Smet of Hills, MN; his children, Drew De Smet of Larchwood, IA; Spencer (Lisa) De Smet of Hills, MN; Cory De Smet of Hayfield, MN and Tedra (Jon) Voss of Hills, MN; ten grandchildren and six great grandchildren; mother, Emma (De Smet) Lucas of Inwood, IA; siblings, Clete (Bev) De Smet of Larchwood, IA; Don (Susie) De Smet of Canon City, CO; Dean (Nanci Mae) De Smet of Omaha, NE; Veronica (Robert) Weins of Littleton, CO; Jane Heirigs of Larchwood, IA;  sister-in-law, Darlene De Smet of Larchwood, IA; brothers-in-law, Gary Faber of Hills, MN, and Wendell Faber of Sioux Falls, SD; sisters-in-law, Kathy (Irwin) Rozeboom of Beaver Creek, MN, and Trudy Acevedo of Sioux Falls, SD; along with very special friends, Randy and Sandi De Bondt of Bakersfield, CA, and Patty and Bard Brown of Larchwood, IA. Along with many nieces and nephews.      He was preceded in death by his father, Ted De Smet; brother, Alvin De Smet; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Gerrit and Harriet Faber; brothers-in-law, Harold Heirigs and Duane Faber; Step-father, Lawrence Lucas; sister-in-law, Tina De Smet.