Eugene I. Whitehead, 93, died May 27, 2011 at the Brookings Hospital. Memorial services are at 10:30 A.M. Saturday, June 4, 2011, at the First United Methodist Church in Brookings, with Reverend Teri Johnson officiating. Eidsness Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements. Eugene Whitehead was born March 4, 1918, in Canton, South Dakota, to Irving and May (Brown) Whitehead, joined by siblings Blaine and Virginia. He was educated in the Canton Public Schools, Sioux Falls College, and SDSU receiving BS and MS degrees in Biochemistry. Shorter periods were spent at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Oak Ridge Institute, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, University of Arizona, Tempe, and Cornell University, New York. He was a long-time member of the American Chemical Society, Kiwanis Clubs both in Sturgis and Brookings, and an associate member of the First United Methodist Church. He was a biochemist in Experiment Station Biochemistry at SDSU for 42 years, retiring in 1983 as professor emeritus. It was in that lab that he met Cathy Hendrick, whom he married on June 18, 1955. This was followed by the addition of a daughter Lisbeth in 1959, son Scott in 1961, and eventually son-in-law Roger and daughter-in-law Vicki. The family was completed with the addition of granddaughters Amber and Nichole. Gene especially enjoyed good times shared with his family and friends. Additional interests included gardening, classical music, artwork (45 yrs of handmade Christmas cards), and travel. England was a favorite destination, with the last trip in June of 2005 celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. Their nearly 56 years of marriage were lived in Brookings with the exception of 10 years in Boulder Canyon in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Survivors include his wife, Cathy; daughter Lisbeth (Roger) Solum, Watertown; son Scott (Vicki) Whitehead; granddaughters Amber and Nichole, Brookings; two sisters-in-law; a brother-in-law; and an extended family of close nieces, nephews, and cousins. Preceding him in death were his parents; brother Blaine (Mary/Wanda) Whitehead, Ft. Madison, Iowa; and sister Virginia (Donald) Hilmoe, Colman, South Dakota; and all of his aunts, uncles and first cousins. Suggested memorials are for the First United Methodist Community Life Center or McCrory Gardens. The rest of this obituary is left "like Alexander Pope's Last Will and Testament" to the charitable thoughts of those who have known Gene Whitehead.