Eugene "Gene" W. Minervini

Born and raised in Yonkers, NY, Gene graduated from Yonkers High School in 1943. After serving our country, he earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Bridgeport University in 1951, where he was the star quarterback on the football team. He went on to proudly serve in the US Marine Corps, and served in Peleliu, Palau in the South Pacific, during World War II. His Marine uniform still hangs proudly in his home.

Gene participated in an Honor Flight in 2015, where he had the opportunity to visit the war memorials in Washington, DC, escorted by his grandson-in-law, Warren Cann. He received a hero’s welcome with fellow WWII veterans.

Gene worked alongside his brother Alfred for many years at Arc Electrical Co. in New York, and was a member of IBEW Local 25, electrical union.

Gene married Anne Phyllis Smith on February 16th, 1952, and together they raised six children. Gene was the fourth in line of six siblings, and was the last survivor. Candlewood Lake in Connecticut was the summer home of his childhood, and a place filled with memories and love of family. Anne and Gene spent 40 years in Yonkers at 101, before returning to Candlewood upon his retirement. They escaped the cold to Florida in 2009, after he survived a remarkable battle with cancer.

Gene had an unwavering sense of honor and justice, and his moral compass was unmatched. Through the years, he was a staunch advocate for justice, and voiced his opinion in letters to the editor and his public postings. He would feverishly “fight the good fight.”

Gene was widely called upon for his fix-it skills in every community he lived, and generously answered every call. His love of the outdoors included years of hunting in Maine, tennis at the Racquet Club in Yonkers, boating and fishing on The Lake in the Bass Kisser, and endless days of golf at Dunwoodie Golf Course. He enjoyed pinochle, poker, and was known for his slight of hand tricks for his grandchildren.

Gene is survived by his beloved wife Anne; five of their children and their spouses, James (Claire) Minervini, Susan (Nicholas) Cerino, Theresa Minervini, Carol (Anthony) Carozza, Janet (Patrick) Tobin; seven grandchildren (Alana (Warren) Cann, Kristen (Brendan) Garukas, Kevin and Kailyn Carozza, Patrick and Cara Minervini, Tyler Estevez, Timothy and Colin Tobin), and two great-grandchildren (Tucker Nash and Grace Nancy Garuckas). He is predeceased by his daughter, Nancy (Roderick) Mangan; his parents Dr. Virginio and Lucy Minervini, and his brothers Robert, Alfred, George, and Virginio, and sister Mary Rinaldi.

A mass will be held at St. John the Evangelist Church, 10300 Yamato Rd., Boca Raton, on Thursday, March 28th, 2019, at 11:00 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Gene’s memory for a Gregorian Mass, at the 101 Mass Missions Program, www.101Foundation.com, Vets Helping Heroes, Inc., www.vetshelpingheroes.org, or to a charity of your choice.