KILMARNOCK—Gene Everett Mapes, age 88, passed away peacefully on April 17, 2023.
Gene was born March 29, 1935, in Huron, South Dakota. He graduated high school from Fargo Central High in Fargo, North Dakota.
He graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor’s in economics and later graduate studies in finance. While at the University of Cincinnati, he was a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity and Sigma Sigma men’s honorary fraternity.
Gene married his college sweetheart, Barri Emelie Schmidlapp, in 1957. After starting married life in Cincinnati, they had career stops in Nashville and Denver before returning to Cincinnati and later retiring to the Chesapeake Bay area of Virginia.
Gene lived life to the fullest and never met a stranger. He was devoted to his wife, his family, his communities and his careers. He was an avid pilot, golfer, tennis player and snow skier. Gene loved traveling with his wife and adventures with his boys. He started his career at Procter and Gamble and then Kroger, followed by serving as chief operating officer of Armistead, Miller Wallace in Nashville. He later became executive vice president and director of Warren & Sommer and director of Colorado Casualty both in Denver.
Gene returned to Cincinnati in 1981 to start Mapes & Company where he worked side by side with wife Barri.
Community involvement included president of the Cincinnati Insurance Board, president of Associated Health Agencies of Cincinnati, head of the Cincinnati Art Museum’s Men’s Committee, board member of Cincinnati United Way, trustee of Kent Denver Country Day School, director of the River Counties (Virginia) American Red Cross and director of River Counties Community Foundation.
The position his boys remember most was serving as chairman of the Adult Advisory Board of the Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout Teen Center (Cincinnati) where he helped bring in some of the top rock bands of the late 1960s. Over the years, he was active at Cincinnati Country Club, The University Club of Cincinnati, Cherry Hills Country Club (Denver) and Indian Creek Yacht and Country Club (Kilmarnock).
Gene was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 62 years, Barri; and his parents, Avis and John Mapes.
He is survived by his sons, Gene Jr. (Sue) and Scott (Andrea) Mapes; and his sister, Judy Mapes Schmidlapp. He is beloved by his grandchildren, Virginia Mapes, Anne Mapes Younker (Austin), Elisabeth Mapes Noel (Aaron), Kathryn Mapes Sullivan (Josh) and Mackenzie, Madison and McGuire Saffin; great-grandchildren, Mary Emelie Sullivan and Thomas Gene Noel; niece, Jessica Schmidlapp and nephew, Jacob Schmidlapp IV.
Gene will be laid to rest alongside Barri at Historic Christ Church (circa 1735) in Weems.
A memorial service is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. on Saturday, May 13, at Grace Episcopal Church in Kilmarnock, immediately followed by a reception at the Indian Creek Yacht and Country Club.
Services will be coordinated by the Currie Funeral Home, 116 East Church Street, Kilmarnock, VA 22482.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Gene’s name to Historic Christ Church (christchurch1735.org), the Boys and Girls Club of the Northern Neck (bgcnn.org), or a charity of your choice.
