Rev. Eugene L."Gene" Leftwich, 78, of Millstadt, IL, born Wednesday, August 27, 1930, in Burden, Cowley County, KS, died Sunday, February 8, 2009 at Columbia Convalescent Center in Columbia, IL.
Rev. Leftwich began his career as a minister about the age of 14 in the Burden KS area. He pastored a small rural church in Mount Zion, KY, near Covington, KY. He and his wife were appointed as Missionaries to Nigeria, West Africa-1964 by the Foreign Mission Board of Southern Baptist Convention in Richmond, VA. Areas of service during 23 years overseas include; pastoring, house parenting, administrating and mostly teaching math and history at Hillcrest, an international, interdenominational boarding school in the city of Jos. The couple returned to Illinois in 1985. In 1987 he began pastoring Villa Hills Baptist Church in Belleville, IL, retiring after 10 years in 1997. He was a member of Winstanley Baptist Church in Fairview Heights, IL.
He is preceded in death by:
He is survived by:
Memorials: In lieu of flowers you may give 'In memory of Eugene L. Leftwich' to International Mission Board, SBC, www.imb.org
Visitation: Friends may call from 3-7 P.M., Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at the Kurrus Funeral Home, Belleville, IL and also from 9-10 am Thursday, February 12, 2009 at Winstanley Baptist Church in Fairview Heights, IL.
Funeral: Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am Thursday, February 12, 2009 at Winstanley Baptist Church, with Dr. Steve Phillips and Rev. Wendall Garrison officiating. Interment will follow at Lake View Memorial Gardens, Fairview Heights, IL
