Gene Lee was born July 8, 1960 in Brooklyn, New York to May and Gam Lee. Gene was a 1st generation American of Chinese immigrant parents who came to this country to escape communism. The family started a small business and his parents worked hard to give him and his siblings a good life. Gene’s father died before he was 6 years old and his mother passed when he was 26.
Gene grew up the youngest of three children, living in 3 of the 5 boroughs of New York City. He graduated from high school in June 1978. Having won three scholarships, he enrolled in Pace University to study accounting. At Pace he was always on the Dean’s List and a member of the Honor Society. Through college Gene worked two part time jobs while attending school full time. In June of 1982, he graduated from Pace with a degree in accounting.
Gene started his accounting career working at Richard A. Eisner, a public accounting firm and shortly achieved his CPA. After about a year in this position, he went into private industry as a Financial Analyst. He went on to work for the City of New York on the financial end of creating low income housing. He worked a number of places, but stayed the longest at Dreyfus Mutual Funds. He got his MBA from Fordham University in 1988. Gene ended his working days as Vice President of the Bank of New York Mellon.
Gene & Ron Fittro met in 1996, in New York City on a “blind date”. Neither was looking for a serious relationship, but they found a connection immediately. Within a year they were a couple living in Manhattan in a tiny one bedroom apartment. They became life-long partners and have been together ever since. They were finally married in November of 2016.
Gene & Ron were in Manhattan for “9/11” and got to see the results of that catastrophe up close. Shortly after, they purchased a home in Groveland, FL and lived there for two years. In July of 2003 they moved to North Carolina to be close to Ron’s mother. In 2012, they returned to Florida, living in Orlando.
Gene was an active member of Unity Church of Orlando and became a beloved part of their fellowship. Gene has been amazingly brave through his multitude of health challenges. He finally moved on beyond the earth on August 23, 2019. He definitely “loved” and “was loved”. Gene was a gentle soul with an awesome laugh. Gene was loving and had a truly big heart. He will be sorely missed. Gene was passionate about his alma mater and loved dogs, donations may be made in his name to Pace University and various animal shelters.
A Memorial Service is being held on Sunday, August 25 at Unity Church of Orlando at 1pm.
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