Gene Schear was the 7th of 8 children raised by Sarah and Abe Schear, Russian immigrants who came to America in 1903 on the Maine. Gene’s brother, Herbert “Orby”, was inducted into the Stivers Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014. By the time Gene was ready to enter high school the family had moved from Samuel St., across town. He was given special permission by the Dayton Board of Education to attend Stivers where his brothers had made sports history. Gene reported for football practice one day late and was told by manager Bussard and coach Cuthbert, “you’re too late boy. We’ll put your name down in case something happens”, he replied, “my name is Gene Schear.” They asked, ”are you Red Schear ’s brother?” Gene said “yes” and they issued him a uniform with the comment, “Just make sure you’re on time next year ”. Gene played football for the Tigers for 4 years and boxed to stay in shape during the off season. His senior year, he earned All-City honors at the center position on a team that shared the City of Dayton league championship with Kiser, with a 4 win, 1 loss record. They lost only one other game that year to Steubenville and crushed their archrival, the Steele Lions, by a score of 26 to 0. After graduation, Gene attended the University of Michigan for one year. The next year he transfered to the Ohio State U. where he did not play football, boxed some, but concentrated on his education. He was elected President of his Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity at O.S.U. Gene served his country as a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army in World War II.
The Schear family had great success in a variety of diversified business ventures, and Gene was an integral member. At one time they operated 75 Liberal supermarkets in Southwestern Ohio. Schearbrook Land and Livestock became one of the largest cattle breeding and land development operations in the U.S.A.. They had interests in motels (LaQuinta), food distribution (Concord Provisions), and real estate developments in Palm Beach, Florida.
Gene and his wife of 64 years, Doris, have a son, Lee Schear (Patti) and a daughter, Mickie Schear Ferar (Michael), 5 grandchildren, Nick, Sam, Libby, Laura and Sophia, and 2 great grandchildren, Sophie and Aria Claire. Eugene C. Schear passed November 12, 2011 at the age of 94.