DODGE CITY – Gene Bilyeu, 79, died Tuesday, November 15, 2022 at his home in Dodge City.

He was born March 16, 1943 at Lincoln, Arkansas, the son of John Shepard Bilyeu and Nova Verza Morton.  He moved to Kansas from Arkansas in 1967 and moved to Mullinville in 1973.  On April 20, 2001 he married Marilyn (Schneider) Riedlinger at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Dodge City. He worked as a farm and ranch hand and spent 21 years at Cargill where he worked in refrigeration maintenance until retiring in 2004. He and Marilyn owned and operated Southwest Engineering and Cable Systems in Dodge City

Survivors include: his wife, Marilyn; a son, Alan Bilyeu and wife Angela, Watford City, North Dakota; 2 daughters, Deborah Harrison, Watford City, North Dakota and Christina Blount, Greenville, Texas; 2 step-daughters, Kristin Parker and husband Kyle, Dodge City and Rona Kramer and husband Paul, Cimarron; a step-son, Darin Riedlinger and wife Kelly, Richmond, Virginia; a brother, John Bilyeu, Decatur, Arkansas; 14 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Nova Morton; his twin brother, Harley Bilyeu and a sister, Retha Morton.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 am Monday, November 21, 2022 at Ziegler Funeral Chapel, Dodge City, with Ryan Ausmus officiating.  Burial will be at a later date in Hall Cemetery, Natural Dam, Arkansas.  Visitation will be from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm Sunday, November 20, 2022 at Ziegler Funeral Chapel.

The family suggests memorials to Hospice of the Prairie in care of Ziegler Funeral Chapel, 1901 N. 14 ^th Ave., Dodge City, Kansas 67801.