Gene Nadeau's Obituary
Gene Allen Nadeau
CMSGT USAF RET.
He was born on March 27, 1936 at White Rock, South Dakota to Floyd Ray and Helen Louise Nadeau. The family moved to Eatonville, WA in August 1936 then to Tacoma in 1941.
Before he joined the military, he worked as a forest fire fighter for the Eastern Lane Fire Protection Association at Springfield, OR in 1953.
On January 19, 1955, he joined the Air Force and retired from the AF on August 1, 1981 after 26 years of service.
Besides several tours in the Philippines, his assignments took him to Larson AFB, Moses Lake, WA, Kadena AB, Okinawa, Macdill AFB, Tampa, FL, McChord AFB, WA, F.E. Warren AFB, Cheyenne, WY, Tan Son Nhut AB, Vietnam (1965-1966), Malmstrom AFB, Great Falls, MT, Galena Air Station, Alaska, and Hickam AFB, Hawaii. Also, as a member of the 13th Air Force Inspector General team (1966-1970) he inspected Air Force Security Police units at 15 locations in Thailand, Taiwan, and the Philippines.
While at Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan in 1985, he was named the top security Police senior Non-Commissioned officer (NCO) in Japan and Korea. As Chief of Police at Galena Air Station, Alaska in 1976, his unit was named as the best small unit in Alaska, and he was named the top security senior police NCO. His decorations include a rare 4-year Meritorious Bronze Star, four Meritorious Service Medals, and two Commendation medals. In addition, his Vietnam unit, the 377th Security Police Squadron's Outstanding Unit award came with a "V" for valor.
After retirement, he attended Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) in Parkland. He was awarded 64 semester credit hours for his civilian and military schools. He graduated cum laude in 1983 with a BA in History. He wrote "Highway to Paradise", a pictorial history of the roadway to Mt. Rainier. Over 3,000 copies were sold to libraries, bookstores and individuals. He also wrote "Nadeau Family Saga", which can be seen in the Tacoma's Main Library NW Room. While at PLU, he completed a creative writing course, that encouraged him to write 3 pictorial history stories for the News Tribune's Sunday Compass magazine. He also wrote an unpublished early history of McChord AFB.
On October 18, 2014, he married Erlinda Fabricante Arriola of US Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas.
Gene died on October 14, 2024 at the Tacoma General Hospital.
He is survived by his wife Erlinda Nadeau, brother Jim and sister-in-law Jane, nephew Brandon Nadeau, niece Lisa Marie Hamry, and Nadeau family members.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory can be made to the American Diabetes Association, PO Box 1834, Merrifield, VA 22116.
A memorial service will be held on October 28, 2024 at 10 am at the Aspen Chapel, Celebration of Life Center, Mountain View, Lakewood, WA.
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