Eugene Edward Naye

Eugene Edward Naye, 78, of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, passed away peacefully with his beloved wife at his side, on Thursday, November 9, 2023, at Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, November 28, 2023, at Reverence Funeral Parlor in Scottsbluff. Cremation will follow. The United States Marine Corps and Gering American Legion Post 36 Honor Guard will provide military funeral honors. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service time. Memorials may be made to the Panhandle Humane Society. The service will be live-streamed and recorded to Gene’s obituary page viewable at www.reverencefuneralparlor.com.

Gene was born on Christmas Day 1944 to George and Agnes (Sempek) Naye in Omaha, Nebraska. He attended Catholic school in Omaha. Gene enlisted with the United States Marine Corps in 1965. He was awarded the Vietnamese Service Medal, Vietnamese Campaign Medal, National Defense Medal, and Good Conduct Medal. He climbed the ranks to Sergeant, proudly serving until his honorable discharge. 

He returned home to Nebraska where he became the proud father of two children, Leslie and Jesse. Gene made a career as a carpenter, utilizing many skills he had learned from his own father. He eventually made his way to the western part of the state and continued to do carpentry work. Gene was employed as the head carpenter at Consolidated Services in Scottsbluff when he met Maria Amaya. It was love at first sight and the couple wed at Scotts Bluff National Monument on April 18, 1998. He welcomed Maria’s five children as his own. 

Gene remained at Consolidated Services for fourteen years and then began a job at Cirrus House as their maintenance and carpenter supervisor. He was a reliable employee throughout the eleven years of his employment at Cirrus House. Gene took his responsibilities seriously and was committed to doing his job and doing it well. He took upon another “job” in his retirement years that would turn into a daily routine of his. This duty that he did faithfully, every single day as early as 4:30 a.m., was feeding 80 homeless cats in the Scottsbluff area. A few became his own pets. Maria would often accompany him in the mornings as he distributed food he had purchased himself, ensuring that no cat went hungry that day. Maria continued this task when Gene’s health no longer allowed him to do it.

Gene was a big man with an even bigger heart. He cared about his family and others and was very generous. He was a member of the ASPCA and a regular donor to many children and animal-based charities. Hunting, fishing, and camping were his favorite pastimes that he enjoyed in the company of family and friends. 

Survivors include his wife of 25 years, Maria; children, Leslie (Everett “Doyle”) Stroup, Jesse Naye, Jessica Blanco, Elisha (Jason) Marlin, Kimberly (Lawrence DeMoise) King, Steven Blanco Sr., and Sean Blanco; grandchildren, Tyson, Corbin, Jasmine, Alize, Kaidyn, Ella, Amaya, Aprilia, Maleah, Thaddeus, Dhonaki, Julius, Davian, Ayden, NyElla, Sophia, and Kristopher; great-grandchildren, Parker, Caleb, and Luna; sister, Georgene (Jim) Duke; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Josie Garza, Frank (Toni) Amaya Sr., Stella (Roger) Compos, George (Jean) Amaya, and Norma (Jesse) Hernandez; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, extended relatives and friends.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents, George and Agnes Naye; in-laws, Francisco and Aurora Amaya; brothers-in-law, Joe, Pablo, Edward, and Emilio; sisters-in-law, Mary Jane and Elsie; grandchildren, Luca and Char Marlin and Steven Blanco Jr.; and little great-grandson, Mateo Rodriguez who was in Heaven for just two days until Great-Grandpa Gene joyfully joined him.