Gene L. Organist, 79, of Mercer, Wis., passed away Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield.      Gene, born in Mercer on July 3, 1933, was the son of Max and Wilda (Doriot) Organist. He graduated from St. Ambrose High School in Ironwood, Mich. in 1951. Following high school, he was a logger with his father, after which he joined the U.S. Army and served in the 4th Army Division for two years, stationed in Germany.      He started his career with AC Spark Plug in Milwaukee, working on the guidance systems for Titan Missiles. He was then employed with the Federal Aviation Administration for 30 years as an electronic and radar specialist and trouble-shooter. Gene also taught for six years at the Aeronautical Academy in Oklahoma City, Okla. training students in electronics and radar. He had been on the dean's list at both Boise State and the University of Wisconsin and was also a real estate broker in Wisconsin, California, Arizona and Idaho, all while employed with the FAA.      After his retirement from the FAA, he traveled the country replacing radar systems and writing electronics books in Maryland for Lockheed International. He was a licensed pilot and loved to fly his family around in Piper Cessnas. In 1998, he and his wife headed to California for the winter and eventually bought a home in Cathedral City where they have made many wonderful friends.      As busy as he was, Gene always had time for his family and was a wonderful husband and father. He was a proud member of Mercer-Manitowish Waters American Legion Post 424. Gene's truly greatest passion was playing baseball, which he did from high school until 2011. At the age of 55, he joined the senior softball league and played winters with the "Boys of Summer" in Palm Springs, Calif. and won many championships, including the Senior Olympics. He was so proud when his son Richard turned 50 and joined the Palm Springs team, making them the first father and son together on the league.        Gene is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Therese Organist; sons, Richard Organist, of Rochester, Minn., and James (Susan) Organist, of Helena Mont.; daughter, Kathleen (Corey) Sanftleben-Nolan, of Minocqua; sisters, Hester (Charles) Rayala and Sharon (Michael) Rayala, both of Manitowish Waters; grandchildren, Mathew (Angela) Organist, of Hailey, Idaho, Sarah Organist, of Minocqua, Alicia Sanftleben of Minocqua, and Max Organist, of Hailey; great-grandchildren, Cassidy, Jordan and Christopher, of Hailey; and brother-in-law, (like a son to him), Paul (Ann) Niemsyk, of Boise Idaho.      Gene was preceded in death by both his daughter, Jean Marie, and sister, Nancy Carol, each in infancy.      Funeral services will be held at the McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home, 305 N. Lowell St., in Ironwood, on Saturday, Nov. 3, with the Rev. Michael Hayden officiating. Relatives and friends are invited to come to the funeral home at 10 a.m.; services will begin at 11 a.m.      Committal will take place at the funeral home, where full military honors will be accorded by the combined Mercer-Manitowish Waters American Legion Post 424 and Mercer Area VFW Post  9536 Honor Guard.      Luncheon will follow at the Organists' home in Mercer.      Private interment will be in the Mercer Cemetery.      In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the American Heart Association.      Gene's obituary may be viewed online and condolences given to his family at mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com.      Arrangements are entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ironwood.  . .