Gene Taylor Tuten, 70, of 7966 Turnpike Road, the Rose Bay Community, Swan Quarter died Wednesday, September 5, 2012, at Vidant-Beaufort Medical Center, Washington.
Born in Washington, N.C., May 5, 1942, he was the son of the late Elmer and Hazel Harris Tuten. He was a graduate of Washington High School, attended Chowan College, Murfreesboro and graduated from Campbell University, Buies Creek receiving a BA certificate in Social Studies. He later graduated from Southeastern Theological Seminary in Wake Forest with a Masters of Divinity degree and was ordained to the ministry at First Baptist Church in Washington where he continued to be a member. His first student pastorate was in Pinetown. Later he served churches in Smithfield, Pine Bluff and Madison.
Mr. Tuten retired from the N.C. Department for the Blind with 20 years of service and annually was active in the planning and implementation of the VIP Fishing Tournament at Manteo for the visually impaired people from across the state. He served in Dare, Tyrrell and Hyde Counties.
Gene married Kay O’Neal Deckard on December 31, 1992, and is survived by his wife and a stepson, Glenn Deckard of Swan Quarter. Other survivors include a brother, Terry L. Tuten of Washington; two sisters, Gloria T. Wynne of Everetts and Joyce T. Milligan of Washington and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, Gene was preceded in death by a brother, William W. Tuten.
Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Saturday at Scranton Christian Church. Linwood Adams and Phil Emmert will officiate. Burial will follow in the Mt. Olive Church of Christ Cemetery in Ponzer.
The family will receive friends at Bryan Funeral Service, Swan Quarter on Friday between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. and other times at the home.
Online sympathy messages may be directed to www.bryanfs.com.