Gene R. Faires passed away on the 24th of October, 2009, at the age of 80. He was born August 2, 1929, to Earnest Earl and Veda McKinney Faires in Commerce, Texas. The family moved to Gilmer, Texas when Gene was in sixth grade, and he completed his early education there. On graduating from Gilmer High School in 1946, he enrolled in the United States Army Air Corps and served in Japan for 29 months. He returned home and attended Southern Methodist University, where he earned a BBA in Finance in 1951. Like his father before him, Gene made his career in the banking industry, beginning with First National Bank in Dallas, then going on to spend 12 years with First National Bank in Longview, where he rose to the position of Vice President and Trust Officer, and 16 years with Beaumont State Bank in Beaumont, where he served as President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Board. He was also President and CEO of Citizens National Bank/Allied Bank Beaumont and Vice Chairman of First National Bank of Mid-County. Following a period in which he worked as an account executive for Rotan Mosle, Gene retired and fulfilled a longtime dream of playing golf five days a week and tending his yard. Even in retirement, however, he remained engaged in civic activities and in his church just as he had throughout his career. He served as President of the United Way, President of the BPM Club, President of the Neches River Festival, Treasurer and Second Vice President of the Beaumont Chamber of Commerce, and Treasurer of the Beaumont Country Club. In his work as Chairman of the Board and Finance Chairman of Trinity United Methodist Church, he helped establish the Trinity Foundation to fund and grow the assets of the church that he was a faithful member of for more than 40 years.

Gene is survived by the love of his life, Jeannine Wallace Faires, to whom he was married for 58 years; son Ray and his wife Susie, and their children Jill and Christopher; son Ken and his children Taylor and Nolan; son Robert and his wife Barbara, and their daughter Rosalind; and sister Martha Faires Barnard and her husband Norris. Preceding Gene in death were his parents and sister Doris Faires Smith.

Friends are invited to a visitation with the family from five until seven o'clock in the evening on Monday, October 26th, at Broussard’s Mortuary, 1605 North Major Drive. A service in his memory will be held at ten in the morning on Tuesday, the 27th of October, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 3430 Harrison. Graveside services will be at Sunset Memorial Park in Gilmer, Texas later that day at four o’clock.   In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Trinity Foundation, 3430 Harrison Ave., Beaumont TX 77706.