Francis "Gene" Cory

Funeral services for Francis "Gene" Cory, 79, will be held on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at Waskom High School Wildcat Football Stadium in Waskom, Texas at 1:00 p.m. He was known for being the biggest fan of the Waskom Wildcats often going to the games two hours before the game started in anticipation of the game. He didn't want to miss anything. Burial will follow at Restland Cemetery in Waskom. A visitation will be held on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 2500 Southside Drive, Shreveport, Louisiana from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Officiating the service will be Pastor Leland Crawford. Gene was born on April 14, 1941 to Kyle and Annie Oberia Brunson Cory in Colfax, Louisiana and passed away on Sunday, December, 13, 2020. Gene was a resident of Waskom, Texas for 50 years and a member of First Baptist Church in Waskom. Gene married Shirley Ann Cory on August 3, 1962 in Marshall, Texas. They moved to Waskom in 1970 where they have resided ever since. Gene retired from Avaya Systems and the U.S. Army in 2001. Gene was best known for his love of the Lord, his family, bees and baking. He was a member of the AT&T Pioneer Clowns. He was a professional clown and spent his entire life donating his time to the sick and forgotten people in the community and surrounding areas, particularly on Christmas where he dressed as Santa Claus and visited nursing homes to cheer the residents where so many were without any family. He loved to dress as a clown and bring his ice cream machine and go to schools to entertain the children. He was one of the most charitable man that always thought of others first. Gene was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Glenda Toups and Doris Cory; brother-in-law, Bill Ebling; father-in-law, Joseph Reed; brothers, Joseph Butch Reed and David Reed. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Shirley; son, Rodney and wife, Jana Cory; grandchildren, Kyle Cory and Jett Smallwood; sisters, Rita Ebling, Becky and husband, Dennis Stone; brothers, Jerry Cory, Danny and wife, Sandra Cory; mother-in-law, Mable Reed; sisters-in-law, Judy Reed, Brenda Reed and Linda Fielder and husband, Johnny, Mary Hertzog and husband, Larry; brother-in-law, Dalton Toups; and Leslie Hawsey, special niece that he helped raise along with numerous other nieces and nephews. Honoring Gene as pallbearers will be Kyle Cory, Jett Smallwood, Kevin Reed, Chris Cory, Mark Toups and Colton Horton. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Buster Gribble, Howard Hall and Joe Stroud.