Eugene David Bednar

Eugene David Bednar died peacefully surrounded by his family in Austin on February 19, 2024. After a long, full, life of wandering and returning home, Gene will return home one last time to Latium, Texas, Saturday, March 2, to be buried at Sacred Heart Cemetery after a 9am ceremony at Sacred Heart Church. 

Gene grew up on the Bednar family ranch near Latium with his two younger sisters Cornelia and Beatrice, his father Frank Bednar, and his mother Angelina Baron Bednar, also known as Mrs. Frank Bednar, author for 40 years of the weekly “Latium Gardening” column in the Banner-Press. 

Gene went to the one-room County Line School, then Bellville High, before graduating from Brenham High School in 1950. A month later, he enlisted in the Navy, where he served as a radio operator on the aircraft carrier USS Bennington for the duration of the Korean War. 

The wanderer then returned for the first time, using his G. I. benefits to be the first in his family to go to college, earning an Associate Degree at Blinn College and then an Electrical Engineering Degree at UT-Austin in 1959. 

From there, he followed the jobs to Houston, landing at Shell Oil, where he designed seismic equipment for oil exploration for the next 30 years. Making sure that equipment worked in the field sent him across the Americas, Europe, and Africa. 

Houston is also where he met Julia Marie Hueske, who grew up in Philadelphia, but whose father, Ernest Hueske, was from Brenham. Gene and Julia married on November 23, 1963, the day after JFK was assassinated. 

Gene and Julia were devoted to their five children (Barry, Robert, Susan, James, and Linda) and were deeply involved in the community of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church and School and multitudes of child- and community-related activities. 

As their children left home one by one, Gene and Julia pursued their careers until 2000, when they retired and moved to Austin to be closer to the first of what would become ten grandchildren.  

In retirement, they were active grandparents, traveled the world together, and became integral members of LAMP at UT-Austin, where members cherished the 1,000s of photos Gene took documenting activities.

Gene was a lifelong organic gardener and advocate for fine craftsmanship and scratch-made whole foods. He reveled in teaching anyone who was interested how things work and shared freely of the things he made, including his famous Czech Lager from his homemade kegerator.

After suffering a heart attack in 2022, he concentrated on his family even more. He was delighted when family gathered from far and wide to celebrate his 60th wedding anniversary and his 91st Christmas, even cooking the beef tenderloin at the center of the meal. 

In his final moments, Gene placed his family first, summoning the strength to share individual moments with many of those who loved him. He even managed to give Julia one last kiss before saying goodbye. 

The family is grateful to Ascension Seton Hospital and Compassus Hospice for the loving care they provided during Gene’s final days.

Memorial donations may be made to the Cockrell School of Engineering Area of Greatest Need Fund at UT-Austin.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 West Main St., Brenham.  To post a tribute to the family, please visit www.memorialoakschapel.com.