Gene P. Buzzard of Fort Wayne, Indiana passed away on May 9, 2025.  Born in Huntington, Indiana in 1933, he was the starting center at age 15 for the Huntington Catholic basketball team that beat the 10th ranked Huntington Vikings in the sectional finals in 1949.  He continued his studies and his basketball career at Huntington College, where he was starting center for 3 years.  He earned a B.S. degree from Huntington College and earned an M.S. degree from Purdue University in 1965.

Gene was a chemistry teacher for the Fort Wayne Community Schools for 38 years, with 3 years at South Side High School followed by 33 years at Snider High School.  Together with his previous 6 years at the Indianapolis Public Schools and the Dekalb County Schools, his teaching career spanned 44 years and countless students, many of whom regarded him as having changed the course of their lives.  Among several awards, he received the American Chemical Society Central Regional Award for High School Chemistry Teaching in 1979 and an Honorary Doctorate in Science Education from Purdue University in 1983.

Gene was preceded in death by his beloved wife Marie, after 64 years of marriage.  During their time together, Gene and Marie traveled extensively throughout the US and particularly loved traveling out west during the summers and to Florida during the winter.  They spent over 62 winter vacations together in various parts of Florida.

Surviving are Gene and Marie's sons, Jeffery (Juli) and Gregery (Hilary Cooke); four grandchildren, Steven (Nichole), Amy (Drew) Gustin, Isaac and Ezra Buzzard-Cooke; and five great grandchildren, Matthew, Adam, Joe, Lilly, and Miles, all of whom he loved dearly. Gene is also survived by his sister, Patti Souers.  In addition to his wife Marie, Gene was also preceded in death by his loving parents, Marie and Paul Buzzard.

Funeral Mass 10:30am Monday, May 19, 2025 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 943 Powers St., New Haven, Indiana.  Visitation from 9:30-10:30am in the church.  Burial in Fort Wayne Catholic Cemetery, 3500 Lake Avenue, Fort Wayne, Indiana. To share a remembrance of Gene or to extend condolences, please visit DivineMercyFuneralHome.com.

Eternal Rest grant unto him O Lord,

and let Perpetual Light shine upon him.