Gene E. Wooten, 80, of Paducah passed away at 3:37 a.m. Sunday, October 21, 2012 at Lourdes Hospital.

Mr. Wooten retired as Assistant Chief of the Paducah Fire Department after 35 years of service. He owned and operated General Fire Extinguisher Service for 30 years.

A U.S. Army Korean War veteran, he was a Kentucky Colonel, a Duke of Paducah, and a member of the American Legion and the Knights of Columbus. He also volunteered at the St. Vincent DePaul Thrift Store and served on various boards with the City of Paducah and McCracken County.

Surviving are his two sons, Eugene E. Wooten, Jr. of Paducah and John T. Wooten of Berea; his two daughters, Anne Wooten Green of Winston-Salem, N.C. and Patty Wooten of Paducah; four grandchildren, Diane and David Green of Winston-Salem and Jonah and Tara Wooten of Berea; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Claudia Ripley Wooten; two brothers, James and William Wooten; and one sister, Margaret Wooten. His parents were Jonah B. and Catherine Marie Gourieux Wooten.

A funeral Mass will be held at noon Thursday, October 25, 2012 at St. Frances de Sales Catholic Church with the Rev. Brian Roby officiating. Burial will follow at Mount Carmel Cemetery with military honors. Visitation will be Wednesday, October 24, 2012 from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Roth Funeral Chapel, with prayers at 7:30 p.m.

Online condolences may be left at www.rothfuneralchapel.com.