Lillian Genevieve Gene Howe Spurdon died in her sleep at home in Irving, Texas on March 30, 2012. She was 101 years old. She lived in Irvington, NY from 1945 until she moved to Texas in 2001. Gene was born in Deadwood, South Dakota on November 9, 1910 to Frank Stewart Howe, M.D. and Margaret Lillian Hunter. Dr. Howe was a Deadwood physician, Deadwood mayor and the author of Deadwood Doctor. Her grandparents, John and Elizabeth Hunter, co-founded the Fish and Hunter Lumber Company in the 1870s Gold Rush. At age 16, Gene graduated as Valedictorian from Deadwood High School where she was elected to the National Honor Society. Gene graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of South Dakota with a major in French. She was the President of Pi Beta Phi Sorority. Gene left for New York City where she earned her Masters Degree in French from Columbia University. She then graduated from the Sorbonne in Paris with a second Masters Degree in French. In 1976 she graduated from The New York School of Interior Design. Gene was married to Samuel Charles Spurdon IV of London, England in 1939. She was an air raid warden during WWII. In 1941 they moved to Canada to make bombs to support the Allied War Effort. Gene was elected President of the Red Cross. In 1945, they moved to Irvington, NY. Her beloved husband of 50 years, S. Charles Spurdon, was the International Director of Richardson-Merrell. Gene was an active member of The Junior League of Westchester, NY. She was a lifelong member of the Irvington Presbyterian Church. Gene was the quintessential mother of three daughters: Pamela, Valerie and Chantal. Genevieve is survived by Pamela Margaret Lynn Spurdon of Paris, France and her daughters, Ariane and Isabelle Kosciusko-Morizet and Chantal Hilary Jeanne Spurdon, M.D. of Irving, Texas and her children, Madeleine and Travis Parker. She is preceded in death by her husband, S. Charles Spurdon; her children, Stewart Spurdon and Valerie Spurdon; her sons-in-law, Ross Purdy and Michael Parker; as well as her siblings, Elizabeth Donaldson, John Howe, M.D., Laura Newell and Margaret Clark. Genevieves memorial service was April 4, 2012 in Irving, Texas. A memorial fund has been established in her honor at The University of South Dakota. Contributions may be sent to the USD Foundation attention to the Howe Spurdon Scholarship, PO Box 5555, Vermillion, SD 57069.