Eugene Cecil Breedlove

Eugene Cecil Breedlove, age 89, of Little Rock, Arkansas, went to be with the Lord on Monday, April 16, 2012. He was preceded in death by his parents Carlton E. and Myrtle Breedlove and brothers, John H. and Robert A. Breedlove.

He is survived by his wife, Jeannie; son, Jack and daughter-in-law Jo-Ellen; grandchildren Jenni (Jim) Dilday, Jana (Tim) Hall, and Ken (Stephanie) Breedlove; ten great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Wanda Breedlove of Tupelo, Mississippi; nephew Bobby Breedlove of Monroe, Louisiana; and Martha Melton of Tupelo, Mississippi.

Gene and Jeannie recently celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary.

He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and raised in Tupelo, Mississippi. He served in World War II as a flight engineer on C-47 aircraft in the China, Burma, India Theater with the 322nd Troop Carrier Squadron of the 14th Air Force. He was a member of the Flying Tigers and the “Humptsters.” He was a survivor of the H.M.S. Rhona sinking in the Mediterranean Sea. He was awarded the Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 Oak Leaf clusters, the Purple Heart, a personal letter of thanks from General Claire Chennault and another medal from the Chinese National Government for outstanding service in the war effort against the Japanese Empire.

After the war, he was employed by Missouri Pacific Railroad for 30 years as an electrician and was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He was a member and Deacon of the Calvary Baptist Church in Little Rock.

During his retirement years, he spent many happy years traveling with his wife and playing golf at Rebsamen Park..

The family wishes to thank the staff at the Ginny and Bob Shell Alzheimer’s Center for their loving care and attentiveness.

Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m., Friday, April 20, 2012 at Roller-Chenal Funeral Home Chapel, (501)224-8300, with Reverend Jonathan Kelley and Reverend Don Cooper officiating. Interment will follow at Pinecrest Memorial Park with military honors.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Thursday, at the funeral home.

Memorials may be given to Alzheimer’s Arkansas, 201 Markham Center Drive, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, or to Calvary Baptist Church, 5700 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, Arkansas 72207.