D. Eugene Dusenberry

D. Eugene Dusenberry (89) of Gainesville passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Sunday, June 19, 2016 after a brief illness.  Gene was born on July 31, 1926 in Hagerstown, MD to Harold Douglas Dusenberry and Ruth Worman Dusenberry.  He graduated from Hagerstown High School and 1944 and served proudly as a seaman (gunner’s mate) on the U. S. John W. Thomason in WWII.  Following the war, he

attended the University of Maryland and Mount St. Mary’s College with the V5 program. He was a member of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity.  He went to work in the food business and rose to the position of vice president of Fearn International Foods, a subsidiary of Kellogg’s Inc.  Always the adventurer, Gene spent a year in Somalia running Fearn’s shrimp and lobster plant but was forced to leave Africa due to their revolution.  He returned to work in San Francisco for a time before moving to Atlanta in the early 1970s to run their Eggo Waffle plants.  During that time, he purchased a home on Lake Lanier.  In 1974 he became vice president of the institutional food division of Alterman Brothers Foods (Big Apple & Food Giant).  In 1983 he retired from Alterman Brothers, but with a lifetime of experience in the food industry, he was later approached by Milton Robson to be general manager of Milton’s Foods in Gainesville.  After seven great years working with the good folks at Milton Foods he finally retired (again) in 1991. He and his beloved wife Dorothy (Bishop) spent the next

25 years traveling the world and enjoying lake life. Gene was a member of B.P.O.E Elks for over 50 years.  He served as the president of the Cameron Point Neighborhood Association for over 35 years and was instrumental in the development of that community.  In retirement, he was active in the Gainesville community volunteering his time with Meals on Wheels, Northeast Ga. Medical Center, participated in the Citizens Academy, election poll volunteer and attending BULLI classes at Brenau University.  He attended Gainesville First United Methodist Chruch. He and Dot moved to Lanier Village Estates and quickly made new friends.  Anyone who ever met Gene would not be a stranger for long, and all would say how he had a quick wit and loved to share stories about his adventures. There were many.  He was loved and respected by all and will be greatly missed. 

Gene was preceded in death by his parents and brother Harold Dusenberry.  He is survived by his loving wife, Dot; his stepdaughters, Valerie Stiner and Vicki Vincent (Jim); seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.  A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, June 25 at 11:00 a.m. at the chapel of Lanier Village Estates.

Officiating the service will be Dr. Terry Walton and Chaplain Richard Evans of LVE.  A private internment will be held at the columbarium of Gainesville First United Methodist Church. 

The family suggests donations can be made in memory of D. Eugene Dusenberry, to Gainesville First United Methodist Church, 2780 Thomson Bridge Road, Gainesville, GA

30506 or Medical Center Auxiliary, Northeast GA Medical Center, 743 Spring Street, Gainesville, GA 30501

Memorial Park North Riverside Chapel is in charge of the arrangements, 989 Riverside Drive, Gainesville, GA 30501, 770-297-6200.  Online condolences may be made at

memorialparkfuneralhomes.com.