Gene Earl Floro

Gene Earl Floro, 80, of Topeka, died March 5, 2016. He was born December 11, 1935, in Benton, Illinois, the son of Ernest and Yutha (Pelhank) Floro.

Mr. Floro grew up in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, and graduated from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. He served in the Unites States Navy in public information, culminating with a special assignment to a Command Information Bureau established to create nationwide publicity for the Navy's 50th Anniversary of Naval Aviation. He was responsible for media relations and did interviews with radio and television stations across the country during a cross-country "race" involving vintage aircraft.

Mr. Floro went into commercial broadcasting after leaving the Navy and came to Topeka in 1964, working for WIBW-TV as a morning and late afternoon on-air host of The Rush Hour and The Early News. He worked for KSNT-TV a few years later as Creative Services Manager. More recently he had been in the advertising field, owning Creative Works, an advertising agency. He served on various civic and professional boards over the years, including Friends of the Zoo, The Topeka Advertising Club, and Topeka Festival Singers.

Mr. Floro was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Jack Floro; sister, Patricia Maehl; and long-time companion, Mike Printz.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 2, 2016, at Mount Hope Cemetery & Funeral Chapel, with visitation one hour prior to the service. Inurnment will follow. Memorial contributions may be made to the Topeka Festival Singers Foundation. Penwell-Gabel Mid-Town Chapel is assisting with arrangements.

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