Gene Carlton Colonna

Gene Carlton Colonna, 73, of Sheffield, passed away on June 4, 2022.

Visitation will be 10-11 am on Wednesday, June 8 at Colbert Memorial Gardens in Tuscumbia. Service will start in the chapel at 11 am with Brother Mark Mayfield officiating. Graveside service to follow at Oakwood Cemetery.

Gene was born in Greenville, South Carolina to Burleigh Gene and Doris Colonna on April 17, 1949.  He went to Northampton High School in Eastville, VA. He married Carole Holcombe on September 24, 1976, in Florence, Alabama. He graduated from the University of North Alabama in 1982.  He spent the majority of his career at Buffalo Rock Pepsi and worked his way up to sales manager. He retired from Buffalo Rock in 2007 with 24 years of service.  He was a veteran of Vietnam and served in the Army from 1971-1975 as a Light Air Defense Systems Electrical Repairman and received a National Defense Service medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Armed Forces Service Medal, and a Vietnam Service Medal. He served in the Army National Guard with the 115th signal battalion from 1983-2005. He retired as a Master Sergeant and was awarded 3 Army Achievement Medals, an Alabama Commendation Medal, 2 Army Commendation Medals, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Silver 10 Year Device, 9 Army Reserve Component Achievement Medals, the Alabama National Guard Faithful Service Medal Ribbon with Silver Saint Andrews Cross, and the Alabama National Guard Active Duty Basic Training Ribbon. He was a member of the American Legion.

Gene is preceded in death by his parents Burleigh and Doris Colonna, his son Micah Colonna and his grandsons Zeke and Cullen Shultz.

Gene is survived by his wife Carole (Holcombe) Colonna, daughter Julie Ann Shultz (Raymond), sisters Sharon Hrabovsky (Paul) and Tammy C. Hutchinson, grandchildren Joslyn and Kellyn Shultz.

The family of Gene Colonna wishes to extend our sincere thanks to the physicians and staff of Helen Keller Hospital and Mitchell Hollingsworth for their excellent care.

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