"Gene" (Arnold Eugene) Elkin

Funeral Services for “Gene” (Arnold Eugene) Elkin will be 1:00 PM, Tuesday, July 2, 2019 at Advent Lutheran Church, 7985 Munson Road, Mentor, Ohio.  Family and friends will be received 4:00-7:00 PM, Monday, July 1st at Spear Mulqueeny Funeral Home, 667 Mentor Avenue, Painesville. 

Gene was born January 14, 1935 in Clear Lake, Wisconsin to Arnold and Orpha (Olson) Elkin. He died   June 26, 2019 at Geauga Hospital.

He attended Barron High School, Gustavus Adolphus College, and graduated from Eau Claire State University in 1958.  He married Jeanne Ann Paulson in 1957 and last week they celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary.  In 1969 he moved his family to Painesville to work at the Lake County YMCA as its youth director.  His career path included managing the Mentor Heisley Racquet Club and the Mentor Community Civic Arena until his retirement. After retirement he worked at Quail Hollow Country Club for 17 years where he shined shoes and claimed it was his favorite job ever!

Gene was a faithful member of Advent Lutheran Church for over 40 years. He started teaching Sunday School in high school and continued for almost 50 years.  He was a friend to all.  He summed up his spiritual strength this way: “I have tried to live Christ’s command ‘love your neighbor as yourself’. I believe I have tried to look for the best in everyone.” As a result, he had countless friends throughout Northeast Ohio.

Gene is survived by his wife, Jeanne Ann Elkin; daughters, Debra Elkin (Jim Lane) and Dana Gros; sons, Phillip (Kelly) Elkin and Eric (Peggy) Elkin; grandchildren, Anna, Quinn, Adam (Amanda), Britta, Claire, Ted (Nora), Peter, Elayna, and Mitchell. He is also survived by his sister Linda (Gary) Wagenbach of Nerstrand, MN, and was a special grandfather to Levi and Edie.

He was preceded in death by his daughter Amy Louise Elkin and his parents.

Donations in Gene’s memory may be made to Advent Lutheran Church.

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