Gene was born and raised right here in Corpus Christi. He comes from a modest background with two brothers and three sisters. His father Clarence worked for the Tex-Mex railroad for over forty years. His mother Lena ruled the roost, teaching her children to love God and family.

Raised in a three bedroom one bath house with six kids and three adults (grandma lived with them) Gene learned teamwork and sharing early on.

Clarence and Lena managed to put all six children through twelve years of parochial school. Gene attended grade school at Christ the King and junior high and high school at Incarnate Word Academy. He worked his way through Del Mar getting certified as an auto mechanic before studying further and getting his real estate sales and brokers license with the Texas Real Estate Commission.

In 1990 Gene married Celeste Marie Vermeulen. They are the proud parents of Joshua Tomkins Guernsey and Gabrielle Marie Guernsey.