In Loving Memory of
Gene Whitten-Legé
Gene Whitten-Legé a 50+-year resident of Houston, Tx passed away 02/21/21 at the age of 82. Bradshaw Carter funeral home in Houston, Tx provided cremation services. Memorial and burial services will be announced later in the year.
He was the active CEO and co-founder of In-Home Attendant Services. He was successfully moving into remission from Leukemia until Covid attacked on multiple fronts. From the hospital, he checked on business every morning. The day before his death he seemed in good spirits and was on a visual call with his wife and business partner Pat, 3 of his sons Gene Jr., David, and Jon, daughter Joan, and granddaughter Jacqueline.
Many of us can say, “He believed in me and challenged me to be my best self.” Special people in his life did that for him and he passed it on. Those of us who have worked with him know his heart and passion and are dedicated to do our best to carry it forward. He was passionate in all that he did and never hesitated to speak his mind. He filled a room with energy and piercing blue eyes. He was a seeker of knowledge, a philosopher, and advocate. He was a talker, a bit of a rebel and tinkered with everything. Computerization provided a whole new realm to learn and tinker. He loved getting to know people and seeing people grow.
He was the 11th of 12 children in a blended family that moved from Louisiana to Port Arthur, Tx. Speaking only French, he entered Kindergarten. Following high school, he served as a Navy photographer in Europe. He earned a MSSW from UT Austin after getting his BA from Lamar University while working in the chemistry lab at Pure Oil and as a photo lithographer at Port Arthur News.
As a Licensed and Certified Social Worker, he provided a lifetime of leadership in policy and program development, advocacy, and multiagency initiatives while serving in positions with the state of Texas, Catholic Charities, and home health agencies. As Executive Director of Harris County Child Welfare, he led the agency to national certification and established several innovative children’s services. He piloted the first Consumer Directed self-direction initiative in Texas for people with disabilities and served on the first State CDS Workgroup that established and expanded consumer direction. He was a member of NASW, several professional advisory groups, and a Board Member of Coalition of Texans with Disabilities.
He is survived by his wife of 43 years Pat Whitten- Legé, their son Jon Whitten-Legé and 4 children from a previous marriage: Gene Legé, Jr, David Legé, Joan Legé-Krebs, and Joey Legé and 1 brother Gilbert J. Legé of Groves, Tx, 7 grandchildren with one on the way and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and work family and friends. He was preceded in death by his 2nd son Rudy Legé, a talented Austin musician, his father and mother, 2 sisters, 1 brother and 7 older siblings from his blended family.
The family thanks all of you of all faiths for your prayers and offerings. In remembrance of Gene’s life, the family asks that any charitable donations be made to one of the following charities or a charity nearest to your heart.
The Acadian Memorial in St. Martinville, La. https://acadianmemorial.org/
Coalition of Texans with Disabilities https://www.txdisabilities.org/
Parent to Parent of Texas https://www.txp2p.org/
SIMS Foundation for Austin musicians https://simsfoundation.org/about-us/
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