Obituary of Eugene 'Gene' Shantz

To view the livestream of Gene's service Please click here

Went to be with his Lord peacefully at Grand River Hospital, Kitchener on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, to be joined again with his beloved wife Sally (June 2020), of 65 years.

He leaves to mourn his children Kirby and Linda Shantz, and Jackie and Reiner Schulz.  Papa to Jamie and Trish Shantz, Cody and Bridget Shantz and Brandon Schulz. Big Papa to River Lynn Schulz, Brody and Olivia Shantz and Caden Shantz.

Gene started life on August 31, 1931, in humble beginnings with his parents Ivan and Irene (nee Bauman) Shantz, along with 5 siblings.  He is survived by one sister, Murial Hayes.

His 43 plus years at E & E Seegmiller also saw him start with humble beginnings but ended as General Manager. Dad was very proud of the fact he was Superintendent of the road construction crew that started the initial building of the 401, a two-lane-road linking Kitchener to Toronto. We Travelled that stretch with him in 2021 and we reminisced about what he had started and what it has become today.  After his retirement from E&E, he went on to be the Canadian Salesman for Wirtken Int’l, selling grinding bits for road equipment. His dedication to this job earned him Rookie of the Year, the oldest person that the company had ever awarded.

After mom’s passing, Dad lived his life quietly, missing the social life that mom always kept alive. He enjoyed contact with his friends, especially Linda from the cottage. The family is forever grateful for her daily calls and few visits, which kept him looking forward to the next day. The family also wishes to thank Maria for her dedicated service to dad over the past couple of months.

Cremation has taken place. Relatives and friends are invited to share their memories of Gene during visitation at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S., on Thursday, November 3, 2022 from 12 to 12:45 p.m. The memorial service to celebrate Gene’s life will be held in the chapel of the funeral home on Thursday, November 3, 2022 at 1 p.m., with Rev. Joe Gaspar officiating. A reception will be held in the Fireside Reception Room following the service. The service will be live-streamed and available to view on the funeral home’s website.

In lieu of flowers, condolences for the family and donations to the Heart & Stroke Foundation or Canadian Cancer Society may be arranged through the funeral home at www.erbgood.com or 519-745-8445.