Born in Castleblaney, County Monaghan, Ireland, Gene immigrated to New York in 1929 and was raised in Manhattan. After attending St. Vincent Ferrer grammar school and graduating from Cardinal Hayes High School, Gene served in the U.S. Navy during both World War II and Korea.
During the blizzard of December, 1947, he went to an ice cream parlor after sledding in Central Park, and it was there that he met Joan Agnes Murnin. They married in Our Lady of Good Counsel Church on February 9, 1952. He graduated from Manhattan College in 1954 with a Civil Engineering degree, thanks to the GI Bill, and spent his career at New York Telephone, Bell Labs, AT&T and ultimately retired from Bell Corps in Morristown, New Jersey in 1987.
Gene and Joan moved from New Jersey to Cape Cod where they spent the last 32 years. During that time, they traveled all over the United States and the world, learning along the way, always making new friends everywhere they went. Gene loved building furniture and gifts in his workshop and tending to his gardens. Clippings from his gardens live on in the yards of many family members.
With Joan at his side, he focused on family and faith. A child of the Great Depression, he led a modest life while always showing the utmost generosity, never hesitating to help friends, neighbors and family in countless ways. He will be remembered for his many attributes including his unlimited energy, sense of humor, penchant for fun, keen memory and mathematical brilliance. He loved challenging his grandchildren with riddles and could recite poetry from as far back as childhood. He received an award for twenty-five years of volunteer service at Holy Trinity food pantry in Harwich, MA and as a senior citizen himself, drove the senior citizen bus for over twenty years.
Gene is predeceased by his parents Peter and Catherine, his brother Peter, his sister Maureen, his infant daughter Jane Ellen and his grandson Terrence Kirk Scott. He is survived by his beloved wife Joan of West Yarmouth, daughter Katherine Scott (Roderick), sons Brian (Debra Carr-Kirk), Stephen, Daniel (Rebecca) and daughter Nancy (Kevin McElaney), his brother Edward (Wilma) and sisters Kathleen Basile and Rosaleen Kirk, along with 11 grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and 20 nieces and nephews.
He was clearly in heaven an hour before the devil knew he was dead.
Funeral services will be private. In lieu of flowers, our family welcomes donations in Gene’s name to a charity of your choice.
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