Eugene “Gene” Phillip Pepe, age 72, of Maiden, NC, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 23, 2019 at Valley Nursing Home in Taylorsville, NC. Born March 10, 1947 in Essex County, NJ, he was the son of the late Eugene Angelo Pepe and Elvira Rita Dianni Pepe.
Gene was a veteran of the US Marine Corps, having served during the Vietnam War. He retired as an auto mechanic and enjoyed working on old cars and building and riding his dune buggy. Gene was the former owner and operator of Newton Automotive in Newton, NC, and Horsefeathers Convenience Store in Denver, NC, and had worked as a crew leader for Engineer Handling Inc. in Hickory, NC.
Survivors include his son Ryan Pepe and wife, Jessie of Granite Falls; daughter, Tammy Churchman; grandchildren, Monica Pepe, Brandon Evans, and Christopher Hansley; and brothers, Thomas Pepe of Miami, FL, Anthony Pepe of Brownsmills, NJ, and Phillip Pepe of Santa Barbara, CA.
A receiving for family and friends will be held from 2:00 to 4:00 PM on Monday, September 2, 2019 at Willis-Reynolds Funeral Home in Newton, NC. Following the receiving, military honors will be presented by Catawba Valley Marine Corps League, Det 1163.
Condolences may be sent to the Pepe family at www.willisreynoldsfh.com.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial contributions be made to: Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758516, Topeka, KS 66675-8516.
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