Adrian "Gene" Pontious, age 94, of Effingham, Illinois passed away at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 11, 2024 at his home in Effingham.

Funeral service will be at 12:00 p.m. Saturday, December 14, 2024 at Pagel Funeral Homes in Edgewood with a visitation from 10:30 a.m. until the time of service. Jim Giffin will be officiating. Interment will be at Little Prairie Cemetery in Jackson Township with Military Rites observed. Memorials may go to Little Prairie Cemetery or the donor's choice.

Gene was born on October 5, 1930 in Union Township, Effingham County, Illinois, the son of Clarence and ReEllen (Macklin) Pontious. He served in the United States Army and was Lead Platon Sargent in the Korean War from 1949-1951. He was awarded a Korean Service Medal with two Bronze Stars, National Service Medal, one Overseas Service Bar, and a Combat Infantry Badge. Gene was wounded in the war but refused anyone to stretcher him off of the battlefield. He loved sitting in front of the wood stove, cutting wood, tending to all his poultry and vegetable gardening.

He is survived by his brother, Norman "Larry" Pontious (wife Gayle) of Edgewood; sister, Wilma Koss of Taylorville; sister-in-law, Mary Pontious of Dieterich; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and ReEllen Pontious; brothers, Robert Pontious, Kenneth Pontious, Ralph Pontious, Donald Pontious, and Gerald Pontious; sisters, Jessie Roach, Alta Loy, Evelyn Verkruysse; brothers-in-law, Bob Koss, Bud Roach, Glen Loy Kenneth Verkruysse; sisters-in-law, Maxine Pontious, Ruby Pontious, Lucille Pontious, and Emmaline Pontious.