Eugene was born on November 22, 1953, in Canton, Ohio. His parents Eugene, Sr., and Mary Jane were both deaf and very involved in the Deaf Community. They were divorced when Eugene was still in junior hight school. Eugene lived with his dad until he was in the eleventh grade. He had to go live with his mom and stepfather, Brad Thomas, because he was becoming uncontrollable.

Eugene's mom made him go to church with his brother and sisters. It was in May 1970 that he trusted Jesus Christ at his Savior and Lord. At the church, Eugene met Sharon Regas and they became sweethearts. After graduation in June 1971, Sharon and Eugene went different directions to attend college. Eugene attended Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri and Sharon went to Bob Jones University in South Carolina. After one year, Eugene got a job at the Timken Company and married Sharon on April 14, 1973.

In December 1974, Eugene surrendered his life to preach to the Deaf while Rev. Sonny Snell preached a Deaf Revival at his church, Firestone road Baptist Church in North Canton, Ohio. While working in the steel mill, Eugene began attending Moody Bible Institute night school in Cuyahoga Falls to become better prepared to serve the Lord.

In December 1978, Eugene left this job to work full time with the deaf at church. He was ordained on December 18, 1978. While working on staff at Firestone Road Baptist Church, Eugene established the Independent Baptist Deaf fellowship of Ohio (IBDFO), the National Independent Baptist Association of the Deaf (NIBAD) Basketball Tournament, and Liberty Deaf Camp, which he started in 1981. He also was involved with Ted Camp's Fantastic Saturdays and on the Board of Deaf Baptist Fellowship of America.

In 1986, The Lord called Eugene to establish the Liberty Baptist Church of the Deaf in Columbus, Ohio,with the purpose of reaching the deaf. The first church service was held in the basement of a McDonald's Restaurant on Sepember 7, 1986. Eugene had a burden to share the gospel with the 175 Million Deaf around the world. He had the great privilege of going on three missionary trips: tow times he went to Romania for several weeks, and one time he and his family and others from the church went to Jamaica for two weeks to work with the Deaf. One of his long-term goals was to plant a Deaf Church in Chicago, Toledo, Flint, Detroit, and Pittsburgh.

As the founder and Pastor of Liberty Baptist Church of the Deaf, Eugene established a Deaf Men's Advance and Deaf Couple's Retreat, which meet annually. The Lord blessed Eugene's prayerful determination in reaching the Deaf community with the gospel as evident in 1999 as the church average 110 people for the Sunday morning worship service each week. Liberty Baptist Church of the Deaf also has a great outreach ministry with the students at the Ohio School for the Deaf by bringing them to church every Wednesday night for Bible study.

Eugene served on the advisory Board for the Silent Word Ministries under the direction of Ted Camp in Trenton, Georgia for a few years. he was also on the Board of Directors for Baptist International Missions, Inc. (BIMI) Deaf Bible College in Ringgold, Georgia. Also, he was the Dorothy e. Ann fund ( D.E.A.F.) advisory Board in Columbus, Ohio.

Eugene loved serving the Lord with his wife Sharon and Three children: Jonathan, 25; Julie, age 20; and Janelle, age 17. It was Eugene's desire that people remember that he loved his God, Loved his family, and loved his people (deaf people). Eugene's life verse was Jude 1:22, "And of some, having compassion, making a difference."

During Eugene's devotions in the spring of 1997, his devotional book asked if he wanted God to use him in a mighty way. Eugene thought a moment and decided God has used him in some ways by starting several organizations for the deaf and a Deaf church, but he felt that God had not yet used him mightily. Eugene wanted God to use him and that he would get all the glory. Eugene and Sharon had no idea what was about to happen.

Although Eugene had been sick off and on for five months, Eugene and his family were shocked when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on April 18, 1997. After praying for God's will, he and Sharon sought alternative treatments. Eugene often said he did not want to go back to the days before cancer because God taught him so much during his struggle with cancer. Often, he would remind his family to fear God and not to fear cancer. (Matthew 6:33-34)

In fact, as a result of Eugene becoming closer and closer to God during his cancer, during his devotions one spring morning in 1998, Eugene told god that he was willing to take cancer back if there would be revival in his own life, in the lives of his family, and in the lives of the deaf people at church and around the world. That summer, the doctor informed him that cancer had come back in his liver. In September, the oncologist only gave Eugene four or five months to live. Eugene and Sharon prayed and trusted god to do what He wanted and that they would keep their eyes on the Lord each step of the way. Soon after the doctor gave Eugene such a despairing report, Sharon heard a preacher on the radio say, "A man of God, in the will of god, is immortal until his work on earth is done." This gave them much hope knowing that Eugene's Life was completely in the hands of God and not in the hands of doctors. they again held onto the verse that God gave Eugene just before his surgery in may 1997. Psalm 20:7 says, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God." The Bordeans realized some people may trust in doctors, some in medicine, but they trusted in God

On Friday morning, September 10, 1999, the victory was won. Family and friends saw so many miracles happen in Eugene's life during the 28 months he battled cancer. god took Eugene home to be with Him. Finally, Eugene's pain was over, suffering was ended. Only eternity will tell how god has used Eugene's life and death to influence many deaf and hearing people here and around the world.

With this final challenge, Eugene's testimony would not be complete without asking each person who is reading this to stop and examine his own life. what if you died today, are you ready to meet God? have you received Him as your savior? (Romans 0:13) Are you following god each day, or are you away from the Lord? Please either ask God to forgive your sins and coe into your heart now; or if you are away from the Lord, ask God for His forgiveness and come back to Him today. (1 John 1:9) No one knows when we will take our last breath. Life is short! Life was short for Eugene. He lived only 45 years, but during those 45 years he had compassion and made a difference in the lives of all that knew him both during his life and his death. Will you follow God and obey Him?

"Only one life will soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last."

* Eugene has 2 booklets in print, which were published by Silent Word Ministries:

www.silentword.org

1) Building Your marriage

2) Establishing Deaf Churches