Gene Callens

Earl Eugene “Gene” Callens, Jr
Kilpatrick Funeral Home
Ruston, LA


Earl Eugene “Gene” Callens, Jr., 73, peacefully passed away at his home in the arms of his wife on December 5, 2013. He died from the effects of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) having been diagnosed two years ago. Gene was born on March 8, 1940 in Memphis, Tennessee. He was the only child of the late Earl Eugene Callens, Sr. and Sadie Esther Chipman Callens. Gene married his high school sweet heart, the love of his life, Barbara Ann Brossette Callens, on September 4, 1960. They lived the first half of their marriage in Tullahoma, Tennessee where Gene worked for the Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC). They moved their family to Ruston, Louisiana in 1983 where he worked for Louisiana Tech University for 23 years before happily retiring with Barbara.

Gene graduated in 1958 from Covington High School in Covington, Louisiana; He then attended the Georgia Tech where he received a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering and a M.S. in Aerospace Engineering. After completing his master’s degree, he attended the von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics in Belgium. While there Gene received the von Karman award for outstanding research in hypersonic separated flow. After finishing in Belgium and while working full-time at AEDC, Gene attended the University of Tennessee Space Institute where he completed a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering. Gene had many professional opportunities, but his love of teaching ultimately brought him to Louisiana Tech as a professor of Mechanical Engineering. Among his administrative positions he was the Academic Director for Mathematics and Statistics; Mechanical, Industrial, and Biomedical Engineering; and Computer Science.

Gene devoted decades of service to many community and academic service organizations. He was known in all aspects of his life as someone who provided solid, practical counsel. Gene lived his life based on the motto “Do the right thing for the right reasons.”

Gene is survived by his wife of 53 years, Barbara, and by their eight children and their two foster daughters: Angela Callens O’Bryant, of Tallahassee, FL; Geno Callens, of Deer Park, TX; Ryan Callens, of Frisco, TX; Annie Hobbs Baker, of Southaven, MS; Kay Hobbs Beard, of Antioch, TN; Eric Callens, of Kingwood, TX; Nathaniel Callens, of Redmond, WA; Amy Callens Dickerson, of Atascocita, TX; Shannon Callens Guice, of Atascocita, TX; Adam Callens, of Redmond, WA. He is also survived by 34 grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Louisiana Tech University College of Engineering & Science.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, December 7th from 5-7 p.m. at Kilpatrick’s Funeral Home in Ruston, LA. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, December 8th at 3 p.m. at the same location. Gene will be laid to rest at the Memory Gardensof Hardin County in Savannah, Tennessee. Burial arrangements will be handled by Shackelford’s Funeral Home.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.kilpatrickfuneralhomes.com