Gene Donovan was named 1999 San Juan Basin Farm Bureau Member of the Year at the organization’s annual banquet Saturday evening at the Elks Club.

The son of Raymond and Bessie Donovan of Pleasant View, he started driving his dad’s John Deere "D" when he was a youngster, and he still loves to be on his John Deere. While he was still in high school, he bought his first farm land from T. Gai and is still farming that land one mile from where he grew up near Pleasant View. He has put a lot of hours and miles on equipment since buying that first land to raise beans and wheat, and then oats, grass and alfalfa. There has been a lot of rented ground over the years, both dryland and irrigated, but finally he owns 640 acres with their home in the middle of it and does not farm any rented ground. He loves having irrigation water to turn on instead of watching his crops burn up from no rain.

He graduated in 1961 from Montezuma-Cortez High School, where he was an FFA member and served as president one term. He attended Fort Lewis College for a year and Lubbock Christian College for a semester. He joined the U.S. Army National Guard and went to fort Leonard Wood, Mo., for his basic training.

In 1965, Gene married Nellie Bennett. Nellie’s parents, Russell and Helen Bennett, insist Gene is the best son-in-law they have. Of course, he is their only son-in-law. They are on Gene’s carpenter list and have enjoyed many labors of love.

Gene and Nellie are blessed with three sweet daughters. Lisa Dawn Diffenbaugh and husband Bob, along with children Austin and Mikala, live in Cassville, Mo. Laura Diahn Dalley lives in Fruita, Colo., with her husband Mike and children Lacy, Justin, Jessica and Kayla. Lana Denise Laker and her husband Mathew live in Phoenix, Ariz. The first grandson named Gene "Paca," and all six of the grandchildren have continued with his favorite name.

While still in high school, Gene joined the Pleasant View Volunteer Fire Department with his dad. He served for more than 20 years with the department and ended up with two titles: fire chief and retired fireman.

Gene has played guitar and has sung country songs since high school. He enjoys playing for fun and relaxation. He has entertained Farm Bureau a few times, once singing with Nellie at the Colorado Farm Bureau annual meeting vesper service. Most recently he composed a tribute for retiring Colorado Farm Bureau executive vice president Buford Rice.

He serves as a deacon at the Cortez Church of Christ and is also a song leader there.

Gene has served his community in many capacities and attended many meetings throughout the years. He served on the ASCS, FHMA and CSU Research Advisory, and on the San Juan Basin Farm Bureau Board of Directors since 1983. In 1988 he served as vice president and policy development chairman, and served as president three years from 1995 through 1997.

He has served on Colorado Farm Bureau advisory committees, been a San Juan Basin farm Bureau voting delegate for many years, and serves on all committees with enthusiasm and dedication. His most recent and frustrating committee has been the "Anasazi Cultural Multiple Use Area of Critical Concern Advisory Committee."

Donovan has always enjoyed working with wood. He started carving animals as a young man and worked up to building his family a new home in 1977. He enjoys building furniture, much to the pleasure of Nellie and the girls. Of course, his grandchildren are included in his list of people to build for.

He also enjoys construction with metal, and spends a lot of time in his shop perfecting equipment and inventing something better, from bean pilers or the latest machine to put volcanic rocks in pivot tracks.