Leonard E. “Gene” Earling, 78 of Old Lake, died Thursday, March 17, 2005 at his home. He had been in failing health.

Gene was born August 12, 1926 in Dunkirk, Indiana, the son of Samuel George and Margaret Agnes (Myers) Earling. He graduated from Dunkirk High School and Tr-State College, and did graduate work at Purdue. He was an electrical engineer and an inventor with many patents in his field. In 1944 he enlisted into the Navy, serving during World War II. He was honorable discharged in 1946.

In 1947 he married Joy Marilyn Leaird. They made their first home in Angola. They then moved to Muncie where he taught at the technical school. They then moved to Galveston and he was employed at the General Motors Plant in Kokomo as an electronics engineer. He was employed at Faraday from 1978-1983 while residing in Adrian MI & Tecumseh MI. In 1983 they moved to Old Lake, IN and in 1984 he began his employment with Magnavox where he was employed for nine years.

His Masonic affiliations included a 56 year membership at the Angola Lodge #236, and an honorary life membership of Stanfield Lodge #217 in Denton TX, along with the Royal Arch Lodge in Kokomo. Other memberships include the Society of the Preservation & Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America, a member of the Moose Lodge and Fraternal Order of Eagle of Adrian MI: Kiwanis, Exchange Club and Tecumseh Players Civic Theater of Tecumseh MI; Lions Club and PTA in Galveston; Junior Civic Chamber of Commerce in Logansport; Indiana Industrial Education Assn and Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Indianapolis; Sigma Mu Signa Fraternity of Tri-State College; and the Ittanicnic Local Businessmen’s Club and American Legion of Dunkirk.

Surviving relatives include his wife, Joy; three daughters, Deborah (Tom) Starrs of Tucson AZ, Charmaine Bird of Minneapolis, MN and Vicky Jo Baum, David Otto of Burnett WI; and a son Gerald (Mutsuko) Earling of Denton, TX; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. A Sister Vesta Kastetter of Clifton, NJ. He was preceded in death by his brother Gerald Samuel Earling, and his sister Carrie Jo Taylor.