Eugene Zakis

Gene Zakis was born in Chicago at Michael Reese Hospital to Eva and Jack Zakis. He spent his early childhood on Division Street in Chicago until the age of seven, when his family moved to Warrenville. Following his parents’ separation, Gene moved with his mother to Batavia, where he attended Louise White School and later Batavia High School. In 1952, his mother married Stephan Nichols. During high school, Gene worked for Renal Engineering, a storm window manufacturer in Aurora.

After graduating high school in 1958, Gene joined the United States Navy. Following boot camp at Naval Station Great Lakes, he attended Electronic Technician School and graduated in July 1959. He was first stationed at the Naval Fleet Transmitter Site in Annapolis, where he actively participated in basketball and softball on base teams.

In 1960, Gene was transferred to the USS Taconic (AGC-17) based in Norfolk. During this assignment, he traveled extensively, visiting Guantánamo Bay, Port-au-Prince, and many Mediterranean destinations including Spain, Majorca, France, Italy, Greece, Sicily, and Sardinia. In January 1962, he returned to Great Lakes and received an honorable discharge in April 1962.

After leaving the Navy, Gene returned to Batavia to live with his mother and stepfather. He briefly worked for Jefferson Electric in Bellwood before joining Inland Electronics in Aurora, a manufacturer of military electronic equipment.

Gene welcomed two sons, Randall Scott and Jeffery Clark, Randall was born in 1963 and then Jeffery in 1964. Tragically, both boys were diagnosed with Werdnig-Hoffman muscular dystrophy. Gene later joined Stephenson Adamson Company in Aurora as an electrical engineer, designing bulk material handling systems. Randall passed away in 1972 and Jeffery passed away in 1990.

In 1968, Gene married Carolyn Frances Orth Mamloff and proudly adopted her daughter, Susan Kay. The family made their home in Aurora on Garden Road. In 1970, Gene began what would become a remarkable career with Sargent & Lundy, a major power plant design engineering firm in downtown Chicago. He became a division head responsible for designing conveyor control systems for power plants and later led the Electrical Design and Drafting Division, overseeing approximately 620 employees working on coal, gas, and nuclear power plant projects.

In 1990, Gene earned his bachelor’s degree from Northeastern Illinois University. He transferred to the Business Development Division in 1991 and relocated to Florida in 1992. Gene helped grow the company’s business throughout the Southeast and officially retired in 2005, though he continued working beyond 2017, completing more than 47 years with the company.

Gene and Carolyn shared a lifelong love of travel and adventure. Together they visited more than 60 countries and enjoyed countless cruises throughout the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Baltic, Russia, through the Panama Canal, as well as voyages to Alaska and Hawaii. They completed nine transatlantic cruises ending in England, Spain, and Italy, along with New England cruises from Quebec City to Fort Lauderdale. Their land tours included visits to South Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt, Japan, China, the Canadian Rockies, and Iceland. Many of their cruises were aboard ships operated by Royal Caribbean, where they were proud Diamond Plus members.

Gene and Carolyn were devoted fans of the Chicago Cubs, holding season tickets since 1971. They also attended Cubs spring training games and enjoyed weekend season tickets for the Tampa Bay Rays. Each year included at least two trips back to Chicago to cheer on the Cubs. Gene attended every Cubs playoff game and fulfilled a lifelong dream by witnessing the Cubs win the 2016 World Series.

Gene was preceded in death by his father, Jack; his mother, Eva; his brother, Alfred; his beloved sons, Randall and Jeffery; and his in laws, Walter and Martha Orth.

He is survived by his devoted wife, Carolyn; daughter, Susan; and grandchildren, Katie Taylor and Ryan Cwikla.

In lieu of flowers the family asked that donations be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Association or any other association of your choice.