C. Eugene Kobel

C. Eugene “Gene” Kobel, 87, of Matthews, NC, died Monday, December 4, 2023, at Novant Medical Center in Mint Hill, NC. Born Cleophas Eugene Kobel on April 29, 1936, in Indianapolis, Indiana, Gene was placed into the Soldiers and Sailors Home in Knightsville at the age of 3 when his father died. On July 27, 1953, he answered his country’s call to service and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. A dedicated soldier and Marine, he exemplified the Sempre Fi creed by serving over 20 years, seeing duty in Korea and Vietnam before his retirement from the Corps as Gunnery Sgt. on July 31, 1973. During his Marine career, his MOS put him in supply and procurement, but he was very proud of the time he spent as a recruiter, helping to bring young men into the Corps. Though retired, “Once a Marine, always a Marine” was Gene’s honor and privilege in life, and the life lessons he learned in the service continued to serve him and bless those he knew for many years. Gene also received another blessing in life from the Marine Corps. In 1956, he found himself stationed at Marine Corp Air Station Cherry Point in North Carolina. While living in the town of Newport, he found himself down the street from a certain young lady, Ms. Jane McCain, who caught his eye. In April of 1956, they met for the first time and Gene left an impression on her when he took her class ring and walked away! Well, he may have taken her ring, but she took his heart and just a scant 7 months later, on November 16, 1956, Gene and Jane were married in the Newport Baptist Church. This past November, they celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary. Anyone who knew Gene knew not only of his military career, but also the career he continued on with after his military service, the career of service to young men in the Boy Scouts of America. While working for the BSA, he and his wife, Jane, and their young family lived in Memphis. In September of 1973, he decided it was time to relocate to Charlotte to be closer to family in that area. It was a tough sell as Jane nicely explained to Gene that after moving 14 times in the past 15 years, this was it! It did help his case, however, that the family they were moving to be closer to was Jane’s family, so the house was put on the market and a short 3 days later, it sold. On October 14, 1976, they moved from Memphis to Charlotte and on October 29, 1976, they closed on the home on Morning Star Drive in Matthews. True to Jane’s promise that she was done, they lived there over 47 years, still residing there until his death. In Charlotte, Gene continued on with BSA as a district manager. Still in touch with a bit of the outdoors and desiring interaction with the next generation of scouts, he added “Camp Director” at Camp Grimes to his list of merit badges and accomplishments. His dedication to the camp was such that his wife, to be able to spend time with her husband, volunteered for commissary staff at the camp. Such was Gene’s love for anything and anyone in life he committed to. Gene’s love of service to others carried forward into his church life. In the Spring of 1956, he was saved in the Morehead Baptist Church and when they moved to Charlotte, he joined the church family at Idlewild Baptist Church. From singing in the choir to making sure that strangers in the church became friends in the church; his tall stature, boomy voice, red curly hair and unique sense of humor allowed him to do what he did best, spend time with others and make them feel grateful for doing so. He also used a bit of his Gunnery Sgt background when he served on the Maintenance Committee and enjoyed occasionally telling others what to do. The remarkable trait Gene had, however, was that no matter what side of a topic you stood on, even if you were on opposite sides, that never got in the way of the camaraderie or friendship he shared with you. Blessed with the ability to communicate with others, and sell snow to a snowman, Gene also used his talents for yet another service organization in Matthews, the Matthews Rotary Club. There, he was not just a dedicated member but also one heck of a fundraising pro. Whether it ultimately was his demeanor or just the fact that his height, voice and posture made you a bit nervous to say no to him, Gene was champion for raising money to help those in need and to honor those deserving of it. The annual Military Veteran Honors Banquet and calendar raffle supporting the many charities of Rotary were always a priority to him, and he took on the yearly challenge like a badge of honor. There is simply no way to recap sufficiently the charm, wit, challenge, awful jokes, dedication, integrity, loyalty and faith of such a man other than to say he loved deeply and even if you didn’t personally know him, you were still blessed in some way by his service and dedication to the Marine Corps, the Boy Scouts, The Rotary Club of Matthews, his church, and the plethora of other personal relationships he had that cannot be fit into a group like the above. He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by all who knew him. Gene is survived by his wife, Jane: his son Brian (wife Amanda) Kobel of Harrisburg and his daughter Jo Ann Kobel of Charlotte; his grandchildren: Julie, Kimberly and Christopher; his great granddaughter, Madelyn Jane; and his brother-in-law E.L. McCain, who honestly was more like a brother and less like an inlaw. Gene is further survived by numerous other relatives, his USMC family, his BSA family, his Rotary family, his church family, and many more friends. He was preceded in death by his parents as well as his two brothers, Harry Jr and Robert. Gene's family has given the family of Lowe-Neddo Funeral Home the privilege and honor of caring for him and for them. Gene's services will be held on Friday, December 8, 2023, at 2:30 pm at Idlewild Baptist Church, 12701 Idlewild Road, Matthews, NC 28105. Visitation will take place at the church from 1:30 until the time of service. Following the church service, the Boy Scouts of America will perform the Broken Arrow Ceremony after which Gene will be taken in formal procession to Sunset Memory Gardens where he will be interred with military honors. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers and acts of kindness during this time. And if by chance he gave his gravy recipe to any of you, please let the family know. They never got it.

C. Eugene Kobel

April 29, 1936 - December 4, 2023