For Gene Lourey: A Land of Power and Glory

Update (10/14) Gene Lourey's visitation will be on Thursday at the auditorium in the old school  in Bruno, according to the Pine Journal:

A public visitation and time to visit with the Lourey family is planned for 3-7 p.m. on Thursday at the Nemadji Research Corporation building in Bruno, Benzie-Lourey said. The company occupies a former school building in the small town, located south of Kerrick, and the visitation will be in the old gymnasium.

Read the rest. One of the daughter-in-laws calls Gene "an unassuming man who sought to make the world a better place." [end update]

We are saddened by the news that our friend Gene Lourey had died in his sleep Saturday night. Husband of former state senator Becky Lourey and current senator Tony Lourey, Gene was preceded in death by three sons: Jay, who died from complications of heart surgery in 1974; Fernando, who died in a diving accident in 2000; and, Matt, who was the 22nd Minnesotan to perish in Iraq when his Kiowa helicopter was shot down in 2005.

Gene and Becky were champions for peace, social justice and civil liberties in Minnesota. They adopted eight of their twelve children, walking the walk about caring for the next generation. He will be missed by his many friends and large family. He was Becky's husband, business partner and best friend.

MNBlue has provided an address for those who wish to send cards to Becky:

51752 Oak Leaf Road
Kerrick, MN 55756

We will post information about the services as it becomes available. Please keep the Lourey family in your thoughts and prayers.

And in his honor, this song from the late Phil Ochs. The lyrics to "Power and the Glory" provide a vision of a just and merciful nation:

Photo credit: Jim Robins (Note: we edited this post once Jim supplied this photo). 

Comments

[Randy O. Olson]

What a loss for the Lourey family. Gene was an amazing individual, a steady foundation of progressive values and vision.