Eugene Balser Roehrich

Eugene "Gene" Roehrich, age 95, of Watertown, died Sunday, February 7, 2021, at Arlington Avantara in Arlington, SD, surrounded by family.

He was born Eugene "Gene" Balser Roehrich on May 30, 1925, the son of Anton John and Cristina (Biegler) Roehrich in Aberdeen, SD.  He grew up with three brothers, George, Edward, and Richard and five sisters, Irene, Gertrude, Francis, Mirian and Carolyn.

Eugene was baptized at St. Mary's Catholic Church and attended St. Mary's Grade School and High School in Aberdeen, SD, graduating in 1943. Eugene was drafted in 1943 to the US Navy, serving two years and eight months on the USS Whitley AKA-91. Upon returning from the service in the US Navy, he returned to Aberdeen. In 1946, he began working in Portland, OR for Iron Fireman Furnace Manufacturing. In 1948, he moved to San Diego, CA, where he met and married the love of his life, Emma Chadwick, on May 1, 1949. They were married in the St. Didacus Catholic Church. He was a devout Catholic and attended and was a member of the Holy Trinity Church in El Cajon, CA. Being unable to attend church due to declining health in the last few years, he enjoyed watching the Catholic Mass on TV every Sunday.

Eugene continued to work various jobs throughout his life. In 1948, he worked at Howerton Heating until 1954, eventually opening his own heating and air conditioning business, Active Heating, which he owned and operated until 1964. In 1964, they moved as a family to Big Stone Lake where they owned and operated Fosters Lodge. They sold their business in 1967 and decided once again to return to San Diego to work at Holly Distributors. In 1968, the moved to Clark, SD, where they purchased the HiWay Motel. Gene was a handyman at construction and built several units onto their motel and in 1973 built the HiWay Drive Inn which they operated until 1998, returning to El Cajon, CA, where they retired.  He continued his retirement years being a handyman. He was most proud of their home they lived in El Cajon, CA, as he refurbished it to make it their home which they enjoyed for several years. Emma "Pat" died in 2020 and shortly after, Gene moved to Watertown, SD.

Eugene and Emma were blessed with three children, Kathy Ann (Larry) Lillard, Anton John, and Donald Eugene (Janet); five grandchildren, Michelle Rivers, Jennifer (Dustin) Flatten, Andrea (Aaron) Loftis, Jason (Valerie) Roehrich and Ashley (Braxton) Gardner; seven great grandchildren, Tyler Rivers, Cameron Rivers, Max Flatten, Wilkes Flatten, Austin Loftis, Brynn Roehrich and Faith Roehrich. His children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren were the love of his life. A tradition of Pat and his was to make a phone call on their birthdays and sing "Happy Birthday" to them. A tradition that was loved by all.

Eugene was proceeded in death by his parents; his wife; a son, Anton John; two brothers and four sisters.

Surviving him are his children, Kathy and Don; his grandchildren and great grandchildren; one sister Carolyn Chubb; one brother, George; sister-in-law Christine Chadwick; and several nieces and nephews.

Services are pending with the Furness Funeral Home of Clark where there is an online guestbook at www.furnessfuneralhome.com.