The first paragraph on the first page of Gene Elmore’s memoirs starts out “To my wife, the first to read My Memoirs and the encouragement in all the things I do…” shows how humble this incredible person is. His wife: Wanda Elmore, is also all things wonderful.
To talk about Gene is also to talk about Wanda. They have been married 57 years, and from my experience they are still in many ways like newlyweds, they hold hands and profoundly love each other.
These two human beings are not perfect but every day they strive towards perfection.
Realistically I have to say that today at 101 years young his 100% is not what it was 50 years ago; no one I know has the same 100% as they did a few years ago. But what you have today is what you have today and to give all of that is what counts.
As soon as Gene could he joined the Navy and soon went to Pilots school. During his Navy career and his civilian life, he flew 22 different types of airplanes.
On a perfect, picturesque morning atop Mount Soledad in La Jolla a while back, four living legends of the Greatest Generation, the four World War II veterans of the Grantville-Allied Gardens Kiwanis Club, received a public and well-deserved “thank you” for their years of service to the country and to Kiwanis.
The Grantville-Allied Gardens Kiwanis Club put up a plaque at Mt. Soledad to honor Gene and fellow Kiwanians who also fought in WWII. The plaque atop Mount Soledad includes Gene, Byron Newman, Jack Scott, and John Peterson, our club’s four WWII veterans at the time. Sadly, only Gene is still with us today.
To find out more about this war hero, visit: https://sdnews.com/100-happy-new-years-for-local-veteran-and-volunteer/.
Happy Birthday … few folks can say they had a such a wonderful life giving 100% for your country, your family, and for always giving to a cause to make someone else’s life better. Bravo Gene! Bravo Wanda! Well Done!
You give so much to our San Diego neighborhood, and I am proud to know you.
Editor’s note: This article was written by John Crawford and Mickey Zeichick.
