Eugene "Gene" Baniecke

October 19, 1931 - September 29, 2020

Eugene Baniecke, 88-year old resident of Hillman, MN passed away on Tuesday, September 29, 2020 at the Mille Lacs Health System in Onamia, MN. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 AM on Monday, October 5, 2020 at St. Rita’s Catholic Church in Hillman, MN. Visitation will be held from 9 AM to 11 AM at church. Interment will be in Holy Family Catholic Cemetery near Bulldog Lake. Arrangements are with the Shelley Funeral Chapel of Onamia. ***In lieu of flowers memorials preferred to the ALS Association. Eugene was born on October 19, 1931, to Leo and Bernice (Ringwelski) Banicki in Harding, Minnesota. He attended elementary school in Harding and graduated from Little Falls High School in 1949. He served in the United States Army from 1952 to 1954. Eugene “Gene” worked at Buick Motor Company in Flint, Michigan and Adolphson and Peterson Construction Co. in Minneapolis, retired after 32 years of employment. He was united in marriage to Alice Schommer on April 30, 1960, and together they raised three daughters, Kathy, Corinne, and Gwen. After retiring, Gene built a new home on Hannah Lake near Hillman. Gene enjoyed all seasons, spring gardening and fishing, summer traveling -road trips, fall hunting, especially deer hunting and the deer shack. In winter, it was ice fishing and snowmobiling. He loved to drive, so his life encountered many road trips all around the U.S. Gene was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church, American Legion and American Rifle Association Post 602 in Hillman. He enjoyed life, spending time with friends, family, and mostly he loved being a grandfather to his 10 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. Gene was greatly loved and will be dearly missed. Eugene is survived by his loving wife Alice of 60 years; daughters, Kathleen (Patrick) Campbell, Corinne (Michael) Mitchell, and Gwen (Michael) Aydt; his brother, Bob (Midge) Baniecke; 10 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; brothers-in-law, Norman (Janet) Schommer, Vernald Schommer, Marvin (Doreen) Schommer and Milton Schommer; sisters-in-law, Mary Muehlbauer, Lorainne (Lori) Potter, Elaine (Bob) Litke, and Diane Schommer. Eugene was preceded in death by his parents, Leo and Bernice Banicki; parents-in-law, George and Anna Schommer; brothers-in-law, Melvin, Harlan, George and Kenneth Schommer; sisters-in-Law, Lucille Rudolph, Marlene Zehnle, and JoAnn Schommer.