EUGENE “GENE” ROBERT GOLACKSON, age 82, died Monday, January 14, 2019 at Freeport Memorial Hospital surrounded by family after a short battle with cancer. He was born November 17, 1936 in Waukesha County, WI. He was raised in the Woodford, South Wayne area, graduating from Gratiot High School in 1954. He enlisted in the US Army Engineers and was a Cat Skinner, having helped to build runways at Thuli Air Base in Greenland. He married in 1956, he then came out of the service and farmed for many years in Gratiot, South Wayne, Woodford areas, where he raised 4 children, later divorced and married Debra Dikkers having 2 sons. He worked 9 and a half years for Milwaukee Railroad as a Bridge & Building foreman in Fax Lake and Chicago area. He co-owned the “Last Chance Bar” in Stockton in 1973 then owned the “Chatter Box” in Nora from 1981 to 1986. He worked many years as an independent contractor for the Journal Standard and Monroe Times in the Freeport area. He later was a salesman for Wild Hare Meats and Zuber Meat Products.
Gene is survived by his wife Debra (nee Dikkers) at home in Lena, IL, five sons, Jon (Kim) Golackson, Richland Center, WI, Scott (Heidi Wienkes) Golackson, Monroe, Bob, (Deb) Golackson, Nekoosa, WI, Tom (Louann) Golackson, Argyle, WI, Don (Amy) Golackson, Monroe, WI and daughter Cheryl (Mike Cowan) Golackson, Brodhead, WI; 13 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren with one on the way; brothers, Gerald Meier, Watertown, WI, Jim (Connie) Meier, South Wayne, WI and sister, Jan Helwig-House, Dubuque, IA; brothers-in-law, Terry (Jennifer) Dikkers, Fletcher, NC and Tom Dikkers, Freeport, IL and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by granddaughter, Erica Flannery; and most recently his Mother, Mildred Meier.
He was a life-long member of Jordan Lutheran Church, member of Apple River American Legion Post 208, and a lifetime Farm Bureau Member.
He enjoyed playing Euchre and his many trips to the Casinos in Wisconsin and Iowa, camping in the Spring Green and Lone Rock area in Wisconsin and enjoyed being with his grandkids whenever possible, he loved them all very much.
Funeral services will be Friday, January 18, 2019, at 11:00 A.M. at Shriner-Hager-Gohlke Funeral Home with Pastor Dennis Perger officiating. Burial will be in Jordan Lutheran Cemetery.
Visitation will be Thursday, January 17th, from 4:00 – 7:00 P.M. at the funeral home and Friday morning from 10:00 A.M. until time of service.
Condolences may be sent at: shriner111.com
