Gene Story, 90 of Montezuma, Iowa passed away on Monday, July 8, 2024 at his Montezuma home.  Memorial services will be held on Saturday, July 13, 2024 beginning at 10:36 am at the Community Hope Church in Montezuma with military rites to follow the service at the church. Visitation will be held at 9:32 am on Saturday at the Community Hope Church in Montezuma and last until the time of the service. Burial will be held privately at a later time. Memorials may be made in Gene's honor to LeAnn Story for the family to determine a memorial at a later time. Memorials may be sent to Holland-Coble Funeral Home; In Care of Gene Story; P.O. Box 727; Montezuma, Iowa 50171. Holland-Coble Funeral Home of Montezuma is in charge of arrangements.

Delbert Eugene Story, "Papa", was born on December 27, 1933 at Farmington, Iowa to JC and Mary Pratt Story.  Gene attended and graduated from Wayland High School in 1951.  Gene learned the value of hard work and as a small boy hauled ice and stacked pins at the bowling alley.  He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1953 and honorably discharged in 1955.  Gene married Nancy Richardson on July 15, 1956 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa and became the parents of two daughters, LuJean and LeAnn along with a Bajan foreign exchange daughter, Wendy.  He worked for Standard Oil/Tuloma in Wayland before transferring to Montezuma for a total of 17 ½ years.  In 1982, Gene purchased Gene's Variety in Montezuma and owned and operated it for seven years.  Following retirement, Gene and Nancy loved to travel.  Gene also drove a bus/van for Poweshiek County taking people to appointments.  He enjoyed camping, coffee groups, loved Montezuma, golf, fishing, visiting Diamond Lake and watching the geese.  He was also involved in the Montezuma Country Club, the Montezuma Historical Society, managing and serving on the board of the Sunny View Apartments in the 70's, was a member of the Montezuma United Methodist Church and enjoyed his involvement with the Blakely Stevens American Legion Post #169.  Most of all, his greatest joy was being a Papa.

Gene is preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Nancy; a son-in-law, Peter Lewis; and his siblings, Melvin (Donna) Story and Zella (Wilbur) Hummell.

Gene is survived by his daughters, LuJean (Chuck) Huffman, LeAnn Story (Larry Houser), and Wendy Lewis; grandchildren, Seth (Rachael) Jones, Kendle(Cody) Sadler, Shiloh Boughton, Tyler Boughton and Elizabeth Huffman; Bajan grandchildren, Becky (Noel) Edwards and Kim (Philip) McKinnon;  great grandchildren, River Earley, Eliose Boughton, Jett Boughton, Caroline Jones, and Maxwell Jones; Bajan great grandchildren, Caitlin McKinnon and Ava Edwards; and his brother, Marvin (Jeannie) Story, as well as many other friends and relatives.