GENE LILLY 'CELEBRATON OF LIFE:' May 6, 2023, in Illwaco, Washington.
Gene Lilly's “Celebration of Life will be held at the Sea Breeze Charters office in Illwaco commencing the 'Blessing of the Fleet' starting at noon on Saturday, May 6, 2023. Sea Breeze Charters office address: 185 Howerton Ave., Ilwaco, Washington. Gene died Nov. 9, 2022.
“Located in the state of Washington's Pacific County, the city of Ilwaco is on the southern edge of the Long Beach Peninsula, on Baker Bay on the north side of the Columbia River where it meets the Pacific Ocean. It is near the city of Astoria (Clatsop County) Oregon, which lies to the southeast on the southern bank of the Columbia.”
GENE LILLY: Boys League 1,2,3,4; Dance Club 1,2; Blue H 3,4; Evaluation Committee 2; Speech 4; Football Frosh 1, J.V. 2, Varsity 3, 4; Basketball Frosh 1, J.V. 2; Baseball Frosh 1, J.V. 2, Varsity 3, 4. Hilhi (Hillsboro High School, Hillsboro, Oregon) Sparta yearbook 1966.
Gene was a member of the 1966 Hilhi state championship baseball team coached by Ad Rutschman.
Posted 3/30/2023 by Wildcatville
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Rest In Peace: LINFIELDER GENE LILLY
(Note: This was written Nov. 10, 2022, based on
incomplete and, perhaps, inaccurate information. It will be updated.)
Gene M. Lilly, Linfield
Class of 1970 (graduated 1971), died of cancer Nov. 9, 2022, perhaps in Ilwaco,
Washington, where he lived.
A 1966 graduate of Oregon's Hillsboro
High School (Hilhi), he was a member of the school's 1966 state championship
baseball team coached by Ad Rutschman.
Retired from working for the
Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), his job duties and/or titles over
the years with ODOT included Civil Engineering Specialist and Senior Inspector.
He worked for Coho (fishing)
charters in Ilwaco and was a member of the Long Beach, Washington, Elks Club.
Survivors include his
brother, Craig Lilly, Linfield Class of 1973.
Gene wrote a letter to the
Chinook Observer newspaper of Long Beach, Washington. It ran in the Feb. 23,
2022, edition:
Letter: Folks come together to save a life
Feb 23, 2022
I am writing this letter in
regards to an accident in which I was involved Feb. 16.
I was clam digging about one
mile south of the Seaview beach approach when a sneaker wave knocked me off my
feet and totally submerged me. My left knee hit a very hard object as I was
struggling to get back upright. The force of this blow ruptured my patellar
tendon and prevented me from doing this. I was exhausted and swallowing
seawater, and I started yelling for help.
Lucky for me, some people
were driving by and saw what was happening. They came running and grabbed me as
they literally had to drag me away from the surf before another wave came in.
Without their help I feel wouldn’t have made it on my own. Their unselfish act
helped save my life.
At this time I would like to
give a bottom of my heart shout out to Herb Messick and his wife, Gail, and to
two other brave people named Deal and Butler. They all put their own lives at
risk to help save mine. I am totally indebted to them for the rest of my life.
Also I would like to give
thanks to all the EMT folks who assisted me in this and are true professionals.
Thank you also Doug Knutzen. I hope to make a full recovery from this so I can
continue to clam dig on this beautiful beach, which I will have more respect
for than I did previously.
GENE LILLY, 45-year resident,
Ilwaco
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--Photos from 1966 Hillsboro
High School (Hilhi) yearbook. Gene as a member of the 1966 Hilhi state
championship baseball team. Gene as a senior of Hilhi.
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