Eugene "Gene" Ness, 81, Washburn, ND, died February 21, 2023 at CHI St. Alexius, Bismarck.  Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday, February 27, 2023, at First Lutheran Church, Washburn, with Pastor Chuck Mann officiating. Interment will be held in the spring in Riverview Cemetery, Washburn.  Visitation will be held from 4:00PM to 6:00 PM on Sunday at Goetz Funeral Home, Washburn.  Visitation will continue at the church one hour prior to the service on Monday.

Eugene "Gene" A. Ness was born June 13, 1941, in Washburn, the son of Austin and Gladys (Thompson) Ness. He was educated at a country school and graduated from Washburn High School in 1959. He married Helen Sandau in 1962 in Lead, SD, and started raising a family in Washburn.  They lived west of Washburn, where they farmed and ranched. He farmed up until a month before his death.

Gene was a member of the Washburn Rural Fire Department and served on the Washburn School Board for many years. Gene and his brother, Clark, were involved with the updates of Fort Mandan through the use of their sawmill.

Gene enjoyed restoring old tractors, notably Olivers, hunting, reading, and watching TV, especially westerns. He will always be remembered for his good humor, smile, and his ability to make people laugh.

He is survived by his sons, Jeffrey Ness and Troy (Diane) Ness; his daughter, Suzanne (Howard) Fisher; 5 grandchildren, Tyler, Ashley, Jennifer, Austin, and Freyja; sister, Marilyn Wagner; sister-in-law, Claudette Ness; his better half, Merle Torkelson; and many nieces and nephews.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents and brother.