CEDAR FALLS - His ideas helped shape the Parkade.

His business fitted a generation of Cedar Falls men with their first suits.

His models brought the beginnings of the town to life.

And his music kept people's toes tapping for decades.

Gene Lehman was a bedrock of the community, say friends and colleagues. Lehman died Friday of cancer at the age of 78, having left a lasting mark on his hometown.

"How do you replace the irreplaceable?" pondered Cedar Falls Historical Society Director Jeff Kurtz.

Lehman owned the Stag Shop clothing store in downtown Cedar Falls for more than 30 years.

Lawyer Judd Truax remembers buying most of his wardrobe from Lehman.

"I had a lot of confidence in Gene because I felt he worked to find the best clothes for me," Truax said. "I really missed him when he closed up down there."

Dick Schilling, longtime downtown jewelry store owner, said Lehman was always an active downtown promoter.

"He put a lot of effort into it and he ran a good business," Schilling said.

When the city decided the downtown needed to be spruced up in the early 1970s, Lehman led a committee that created the winding Main Street Parkade that has become a hallmark of the business district.

Lehman's Stag Shop was an anchor of the Parkade even in the lean times that preceded the downtown business boom that began in the 1990s. He carried on a downtown legacy, as his father had been a barber with a downtown storefront.

"He contributed a lot to Cedar Falls, both business-wise and just in the community in a lot of ways," said Shirley Merner, a lifelong friend of Lehman.

Lehman served as one of the most active volunteers for the Cedar Falls Historical Society. He helped build many of the exhibits, particularly at the Ice House Museum.

When the museum flooded in June, Lehman sought to raise money to help out.

"He would have liked to see it come back," Kurtz said.

Lehman preserved the history of Cedar Falls by custom-building models of the mill race, the Ice House, the original Carnegie library and other historical landmarks.

In addition to his eye for history, Lehman had a passion for music, particularly Dixieland jazz. He was an original member of the Saints Dixieland Jazz Band and later played with the Sugar Daddys, playing bass and banjo.

Truax fondly recalled the many road trips he took with Lehman to gigs when they both played in the Saints.

"He was a great person and he loved the music. I'll miss him around," Truax said. "He was enthusiastic about our style of music."

Lehman served as a co-organizer of the Dixieland Jazz Festival when it began in the 1970s.

In 2007 Gene and his wife, Sue, were named the city's representative citizens. It was an honor that rewarded a lifetime of contributions to the community.

"He was fun and giving and always there to lend a helping hand," Merner said.

Cedar Falls real estate agent Dick Robert remembered hanging out at the Stag Shop downtown, Lehman serving as a welcoming host to the community.

"He's a part of Main Street nobody wanted to lose," Robert said.

Contact Jon Ericson at (319) 291-1461 or jonathan.ericson@wcfcourier.com.