Eugene "Gene" A. Tait
1934 - 2008

Eugene "Gene" A. Tait, 74, of Sterling, died Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2008, in Sterling. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, at Chaney-Reager Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, at the First Baptist Church with the Rev. John E. Roberts officiating. Burial with interment rites by Akron Elks Lodge No. 2579 and US Navy will be at Riverside Cemetery.
Gene was born March 8, 1934, to Ennis Rankin and Pearl Delores (Long) Tait in Cripple Creek. He attended school in Colorado Springs. Gene joined the U.S. Navy in 1952, serving for 24 years, at various bases including Pt. Mugu NAS, Calif., from where he retired in 1976, as a Senior Chief Petty Officer, E-8. He returned to Sterling and began a career as a locksmith. He owned and operated Tait's Lock and Safe.
On April 10, 1955, Gene married Sarah M. Irelan in Sterling. He was a member of the First Baptist Church and the Akron Elks Lodge No. 2579.
Gene is survived by his wife, Sarah "Sue" Tait of Sterling; daughters, Peggy Harper and husband Roy of Sheridan, Wyo., and Becky Romero and husband Tim of Sterling; sons, Don Tait and wife Sandy, Larry Tait and wife Bev, and John Tait, all of Greeley; brother, Dick Tait of Colorado Springs; sisters, Patty Albach and husband Bob of Denver, Bonnie Johnsey of Cody, Wyo., and Shirley Irelan of Thermopolis, Wyo.; 14 grandchildren, including Mike Tait, who has worked with his grandpa for the past 15 years; and seven great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister-in-law, Pat Tait; brother-in-law, Don Irelan; and grandson, Angelo Romero.
Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church Building Fund, 915 S. 8th Ave., Sterling, CO 80751, or Mosaic at Axtell, P.O. Box 67, Axtell, NE 68924 and note in honor of Gene Tait for use at Axtell.