Gene M. Rader age 91, born 8/12/1922, died 8/13/2013 Elizabethtown, Kentucky.  He sold his extensive library to Roger Doll and move from O'Fallon MO to New Haven, KY in 2007 to live with his daughter Ericka Crask. Rader was active in checkers in Missouri, sponsored and held many tournaments, including MO State Tys. He was "Uncle Fudge" back in the old internet checker days of MSN Kings Zone (checker players' room), plus other names.  Gene's funeral will be Friday at the Baue Funeral Home, 3950 W. Clay, St. Charles, MO, 63301 (Near I-70 and Cave Springs Road)  http://www.baue.com/about-us/locations/

From Roger Doll... email Tuesday, August 13, 2013 at 9:42 PM

Checker friends,

I learned from Gene Rader's daughter Erica tonight that Gene died in the Hardin Memorial Hospital in Elizabethtown, KY this afternoon. Gene turned 91 years old yesterday. He had lived for the past 5 years under the care of his daughter near New Haven, KY. Gene's health had been failing for quite some time. He was in a care facility and he fell and broke two vertebrate in his neck last weekend.

Those who have met Gene will remember him as a devoted checker player who played in many tournaments in the mid-west. Gene sponsored many checker tournaments in Missouri and was active in the Missouri Checker Association. Some will remember Gene's poems published in the MCA newsletter. He was an avid collector of checker books, periodicals and newspaper clippings. As he collected his library he developed numerous friendships throughout the checker world including authors like Ben Boland, other collectors like Don Goodwin, and even provided Marion Tinsley with a copy of Dr. Newland's Problem Chronologies at Tinsley's request.. Gene could always find the time to talk about checker books and he enjoyed many hours engrossed in research through his library.

Funeral arrangements have not been finalized. Gene will be buried in Missouri.

Roger Doll

From the Missouri Checker Association Newsletter - September 2013

August 12, 1922 - August 13, 2013

Gene Rader, Sr., of New Haven, Kentucky, died on Tuesday, August 13, 2013 at the age of 91.  Loving husband of the late Antonia Minna Rader; beloved son of the late Robert Donovan and the late Clarenda Frances Rader; devoted father of Gene (Karen) Rader Jr., Renda Lee (Walter) Brockmeier and Ericka (Cliff) Crask; cherished grandfather of Patrick Bloebaum, Toni Rader, Tammy Rader, Travis rader, Lee English, Amy Holiway, Jessi Birks, and Tommy Crask; treasured great-grandfather of  Dennis, Patrick, and Angel Bloebaum, Tuff Crask, Paiseleigh Crask, Steve Clark, and Mason Clark; dear brother of Norma, Helen and Irene.  He is preceded in death by his siblings Bill, Pat, Jessie, Ardis and Frances.  Services and burial was held Friday, August 16 at the St. Charles Memorial Gardens in St. Charles, Missouri. This picture of Gene was taken April 27, 2008 at the 2008 Missouri State Tournament he sponsored in Wentzville that year.  It is probably the last tournament Gene participated in while living in Missouri.

     Gene was always promoting Missouri checkers.  The many tournaments he sponsored in Wentzville, MO were big successes.  He had a great sense of humor and he lived to write poetry, of which several were published in the MCA Newsletter, and got him the title of poet laureate of Missouri Checkers.  We will always remember him for his great enthusiasm for our wonderful game.
Wilma Wolverton, MCA Secretary-Treasurer

      In the year 2000 my wife and I moved to St. Peters, Missouri which is only about a five minute drive to O'Fallon, MO where Gene lived at the time.  (I had only two checker books, Lee's Guide and Duffy's Single Corner.)  I forgot now how I got Gene's name and number but I called him up and told him I liked to play checkers and he immediately invited me over.  We developed a friendship and he introduced me to the Missouri Checker Association and helped me increase my Checkers Library.  He used to love it when I would come over to play checkers.  I honestly think he would have played half the night if I didn't have to leave. He loved to play.  He also introduced me to Bill Wethington who would also come over and we would play checkers, Bill and I currently Co-Champ the 2013 Three-Move Missouri Open together. Anyway, Gene took me to my first tournament in Hannibal Missouri .

       I think it was the 2003 Missouri State Tournament that Gene Rader sponsored in Wentzville, Missouri, when Alex Moiseyev drove in to play and a young 18 year old player named Steve Jones (who nobody had ever heard of), showed up at that tournament and not only won the Missouri Title, but also drew two games against Alex!!  What a memory.  Gene talked about that for years.  He hosted a great tournament that year with Don West from Kentucky, Charles Freeman, Michael Holmes, and over 25 total players.  I was looking at the tournament roster from that year and I noticed many of the Missouri and Illinois players have passed away.  

    After I left the city and moved back home, I lost touch with Gene and saw him only one more time at a Checker Tournament in Wentzville.
David Dittman, MCA Vice-President

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