Gene Preuss, 80

Lifelong Waterville resident and man about town, Gene Preuss, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 7, at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester at the age of 80.

Gene attended grade school and high school in Waterville, graduating in 1963. He was a dedicated member of the high school wrestling team and a hunting, fishing, spearing, trapping, and cooking enthusiast. 

He was a fourth-generation Preuss living in Waterville and the surrounding area. His German immigrant ancestors arrived in the U.S. in the 1860s. Gene proudly served his country during the Vietnam War. He was stationed there during the 1968 TET Offensive. Following his return, he completed his business degree at Mankato State College.

He came from a hardworking family. His father and mother, Glenn and Molly, owned one of the best bakeries in Minnesota and later the Corner Bar. They worked diligently to achieve this. Without a doubt, Gene inherited his father’s storytelling ability, along with his talent in the culinary arts.

 Gene held several jobs in his life: he was a bartender at the Evergreen Knoll in Faribault and at the Corner Bar in Waterville, worked at Green Giant, ran his own real estate agency, and spent many years as a guard at the Faribault prison.

Gene was a wonderful friend to many. He was kind and generous. If you had asked Gene for the shirt off his back, he would have given it to you. He was truly that kind of person.  

He loved Waterville, the love he inherited from his mother and father. Growing up in Waterville, he fished for bullheads, swam, camped, and set off fireworks. Some of Gene’s best times were spent fishing at Osborn’s Dam, particularly when the silver bass were running. Most of all, he cherished hunting and fishing with his dad.        

It seemed that Gene knew every trick in the book when it came to spearing fish. Many times, he used his own carved fish decoys. He enjoyed spending time in his fish house and out on the lake. He was a true Watervillian. He took every opportunity to cast a line from the shores of his lake home and catch a few big bullheads, sunfish, and crappies. 

Later in life, he used the skills he learned from his father to hunt in the woods and lakes surrounding Waterville. He had stories to share about each of his adventures. In the winter, you would find Gene outside smoking carp, which he cooked to perfection. If you wanted news about Waterville, Gene could provide you with an update. He was always engaging to listen to and knew how to embellish a story. 

Gene was a true charismatic character. He possessed a unique talent for storytelling and seemed to know everyone, while everyone knew him. Listening to him was always captivating. He was, to say the least, authentic.

Waterville has always been known for its colorful characters, and Gene would undoubtedly be counted among them. There was no one quite like Gene Preuss, and there never will be. Waterville will greatly miss his presence. For those who knew him well, he will be missed even more. 

Funeral Announcement: Saturday, July 12, 2025, 11 a.m. Church Service at Trinity Lutheran Church, Waterville, 11:45 a.m. Lunch will be served in church basement, and 1:30 p.m. burial in Sakatah Cemetery Waterville.