LaCenter, Ky. Gene Allen Stewart of LaCenter lived 90 wonderful years before returning to the Lord on Tuesday, January 20, 1915. He was born to Malcolm and Laura Howle Stewart in Wickliffe, Ky on October 18, 1924. Gene met the love of his life, Carlisle County native Fay Stewart, in 1952 and they married June 26, 1954 in Detroit, Michigan. He was blessed with four children and five grandchildren. Gene's nickname was "Crapgame." During childhood days one summer of the Great Depression Era in Barlow, local men allowed him to peek-in as they gambled shooting craps. Told one day he was no longer welcome at the gathering, the youngster ran for the local sheriff yelling "cwapgame, cwapgame." Entering the United States Army in 1924 at the age of 18, Gene served during World War II, the Korean War and the start of the Viet Nam War. Gene's three brothers also served our country, each one in a different branch of the military. In 1952 Gene was assigned to Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital in Washington, D.C. and trained in the making of prosthetic artificial eyes. He later became the Army's chief ocularist. After retiring in 1965 with 23 years of duty, Gene was part of a business team that created the first colored contact lens. He opened S.P. Artificial Eye Company in Washington before moving to his native Ballard County in 1969. Gene designed, produced and fitted artificial eyes for patients in his LaCenter home for nearly 40 years before retiring in 2009. Gene enjoyed antiquing, a passion kindled as stamp collecting in the early 1960;s and rekindled when he carried on the Disney collection begun by daughter Kerrie after her passing in 1983. He was a Free Mason and enjoyed reading and discussing local history. Gene is survived by his wife, Fay of 60 years, daughter Karen Hargrove (Bruce) of LaCenter, son Kevin Stewart of Paducah and daughter Kimberlee Copeland (Jeff) of Draffenville. He is also survived by a brother, Malcolm Stewart, of LaCenter; grandchildren Molly, Emily and Katey Hargrove of LaCenter and Conner and Haley Copeland of Draffenville. He was preceded in death by daughter Kerrie Fay, his parents, and brothers, Warren and Howard and sister Annette. Funeral services are 2:00 p.m. Friday, January 23, at Morrow Funeral Chapel in LaCenter with the Brother Lance Cordle officiating. Interment will follow at Barlow Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday from 5- 8:30 p.m. and Friday morning from 8:00 a.m. until funeral time. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Kerrie Fay Stewart Memorial Scholarship Fund No.1, which helps a Ballard Memorial graduating senior pay tuition to Western Kentucky University. The fund's address is : College Heights Foundation, 1906 College Heights Blvd. # 41016, Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101. Condolenses may be left for the family at www.morrowfuneralchapel.com