Harry "Gene" Eugene O'Mara

Harry Eugene “Gene” O’Mara of Emporia, Kansas passed away on Sunday, January 3, 2021 at Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka.  He was born on August 21, 1942 at Newman Hospital in Emporia to Harry Clenten and Inez Leona Loomis O’Mara.  He lived east of Emporia and attended school at Neosho Rapids and graduated from high school in 1960.  He married Kathy Tompkins on February 15, 1964 at the First Congregational Church in Emporia.

They have been members of First Congregational Church for over 50 years.  He attended Kansas State Teachers College.  He worked at Didde Web Press for over thirty years.  Upon his retirement he worked as a para in the Special Education Department at Emporia High School.  He truly enjoyed working with the students.

Gene’s love of sports started with playing basketball in high school and grew to include bowling, softball, fishing, watching Nascar, camping-spending time at Wilson and Melvern lakes and lots of traveling.  Gene and Kathy kept busy on their land in the country gardening and doing a lot of their own fencing.  They recently moved to Emporia but continued keeping busy volunteering their time.  Gene had volunteered at the Sheriff’s Department Senior Patrol for seven years, the Lyon County History Center, was a board member at Plumb Place and most recently volunteering at the Emporia Senior Center.

Surviving family members include his wife Kathy; daughter, Tammy (Marvin) Kelley of Lebo; son, Mike (Yolanda) of Wichita; grandchildren, Dustin (Heather) Kelley, Jennifer (Greg) Thomas, Samantha Kelley, Dylan Kelley, and Drew Kelley; four great-grandchildren; sister, Mary Mauser of Mulvane, Kansas.

He is preceded in death by his parents, sister Colleen Pearson, brother-in-law Jack Mauser, nephew Kim Price.

Private services will be held with cremation following.  Interment will be at a later date at the Union Cemetery, Emporia.  Memorial contributions to the First Congregational Church or the Emporia Senior Center can be sent in care of Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, PO Box #175, Emporia, Kansas 66801.