Eugene Joseph Carda, of Mora, passed away peacefully in his home in the early hours of March 14th surrounded by loved ones. He was 83 years old.

Gene was born on October 18th, 1942, to Rudolph and Gladys (Backlund) Carda in Minneapolis, MN. He was raised in Mora, MN and graduated from Mora High School. After high school, Gene enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he was a flight captain. After he got out of the Navy, Gene worked for various contractors as a heavy equipment operator and then switched over to working millwrights. After retiring from the millwright union, he started Gene Carda Excavating. In the early 2000's Gene, Steve and Tim built a truck pulling track at his residence up by Knife Lake. Gene bought a few bleacher sets for the truck pulls, then added a few more as attendance started to grow, and eventually ended up as Carda's Bleacher Rental. At the age of 79, he sold the bleacher business to his son, Tim and daughter in law, Candie.

If you knew Gene, you know that he wasn't a man to sit around. He was constantly on the go from sunup to sundown seven days a week and it didn't matter if it was excavating, running bleachers or working at the parks. Even when he retired, he always said he was very busy.

Gene enjoyed being outdoors, he loved to trap, fish, and hunt with his sons and grandchildren. Gene's main wheels were his Polaris Rangers, or as he called them, "his legs". He was constantly riding around in them and if you traveled on Jade Street, I'm sure you would see him riding around at one time or another.

Gene is preceded in death by father Rudolph Carda, mother Gladys (Backlund) Hanson; and brother; Harold Carda.

He is survived by: brother Lloyd (Helen) Carda, sister Shirley (Neil) Nusz, wife Rosalie (Griffen) Carda; sons Steven (Tabetha) Carda, Tim (Candace) Carda; step children Curt (Cathy) Schmidt, Todd (Susie) Schmidt, Sonja (Kurt Notch) Schmidt; grandchildren Meghan (Ben) Hueper, Emily (Mitchell) Walker, Cole Carda, Jacob (Isabel Vogel) Carda, Nicholas (Emma White) Carda, Caila (Thad Pease) Carda; step grandchildren; Susan Nystrom, Renae (Adam) Swanson, Christopher (Dani) Schmidt; Heidi (Tony Spoden) Rosenow, Jennessy (Chucky) Dickerson, and Cassandra Schmidt, great granddaughter Julia Walker and many great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at Zion Lutheran Church in Mora with Rev. Anthony Cloose officiating.  Music is being provided by Karen Kirschner Danielson.  Visitation will be held from 5 until 7 P.M. on Friday, March 20, 2026 at Dresser-Methven Funeral Home in Mora as well as one hour prior to the service at the church.  Casketbearers are Jacob Carda, Cole Carda, Christopher Schmidt, Caila Carda, Nicholas Carda and Benjamin Hueper.  Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery.  Military Honors are being provided by Mora American Legion Post 201.