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October 1, 2013
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Sunday, October 6, 2013 from 2-6 PM.
Funeral Services will be held on Monday, October 7, 2013 at 8:30 AM from the funeral home, then to Our Lady of the Valley R.C. Church, 630 Valley Road, Wayne, where at 9:30AM a Funeral Mass will be offered. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington.
Eugene T. Connell, age 84, of Wayne, died peacefully, with his loving family by his side, on Tuesday, October 1, 2013.
Gene was the second of four sons born to May and Jimmy Connell. He was raised in a cold water flat in “the Heights” section of Jersey City. He enjoyed telling stories about growing up there during the Great Depression and the many adventures he had with Bobbie, Ray and Jack.
As a child Gene was fascinated by airplanes. He could look in the sky and tell you what type of plane was flying overhead. He became a proficient model plane builder. We still have some examples of his handcut balsawood frames with painstakingly crafted paper wings in the basement.
In 1944 Gene enrolled as a freshman at Dickinson High School in Jersey City. There he met the two women who were later to become the great loves of his life.
After graduating from Dickinson in 1948 he began dating Marge Allen and in 1951 they were married. Over the next nine years Tom, Gene and Lauren were born. The growing family moved from a small apartment in Jersey City to their first home in Clifton in 1955, finally settling in Wayne in 1963. The following year Marge was diagnosed with cancer and she began a long struggle that ended with her death in 1981.
Terry (Papico) Thompson had been Marge’s best friend since high school. Their two families celebrated birthdays and holidays together and shared memorable vacation trips to Lake George, NY and Washington DC.
Following Marge’s death, Terry, who had been widowed herself six years earlier, made an effort to help Gene adjust. She rescued him from a lonely life of canned soup and an empty house by inviting him over for conversation and her wonderful home cooked meals. By 1983 they were married.
Over his 45-year career Gene worked as a machinist, tool and die maker, mechanical engineer and manufacturing plant manager. Retirement came in 1993. Reminders of his skills as a builder and a furniture maker can be found all over his home.
Gene and Terry very much enjoyed their trips to visit children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Minnesota. One time they even made a detour to see Tom in Denver. They also got great pleasure from hosting family gatherings at their home. These occasions were marked by good food and animated story telling.
Gene remained strong willed right up to the end. He told his doctors he was a “sore loser” and refused to give up. His family is relieved that he is finally at peace.
Gene is survived by his beloved wife Terry; two sons: Thomas Connell and partner Pedro Bernal, and Eugene J. Connell and wife Lisa; his daughter: Lauren Connell; three step-daughters: Kathy and husband Michael Franchino, Jacqueline and husband Kevin Cronin and Judith and husband Anthony Fontana; eight grandchildren: Angela, Dana, Michelle (husband Evan), Joseph, Laura, Gina, Christopher and Kelsey; four great-grandchildren: Alisa, Isabela, Austin and Emily; and several nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made in memory of Eugene T. Connell to the Mayo Clinic and designated for cancer research. Memorials can be made online at www.mayoclinic.org/development or mailed to Department of Development, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Sunday, October 6, 2013 from 2-6 PM.
Funeral Services will be held on Monday, October 7, 2013 at 8:30 AM from the funeral home, then to Our Lady of the Valley R.C. Church, 630 Valley Road, Wayne, where at 9:30AM a Funeral Mass will be offered. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington.
October 1, 2013
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Sunday, October 6, 2013 from 2-6 PM.
Funeral Services will be held on Monday, October 7, 2013 at 8:30 AM from the funeral home, then to Our Lady of the Valley R.C. Church, 630 Valley Road, Wayne, where at 9:30AM a Funeral Mass will be offered. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington.
Eugene T. Connell, age 84, of Wayne, died peacefully, with his loving family by his side, on Tuesday, October 1, 2013.
Gene was the second of four sons born to May and Jimmy Connell. He was raised in a cold water flat in “the Heights” section of Jersey City. He enjoyed telling stories about growing up there during the Great Depression and the many adventures he had with Bobbie, Ray and Jack.
As a child Gene was fascinated by airplanes. He could look in the sky and tell you what type of plane was flying overhead. He became a proficient model plane builder. We still have some examples of his handcut balsawood frames with painstakingly crafted paper wings in the basement.
In 1944 Gene enrolled as a freshman at Dickinson High School in Jersey City. There he met the two women who were later to become the great loves of his life.
After graduating from Dickinson in 1948 he began dating Marge Allen and in 1951 they were married. Over the next nine years Tom, Gene and Lauren were born. The growing family moved from a small apartment in Jersey City to their first home in Clifton in 1955, finally settling in Wayne in 1963. The following year Marge was diagnosed with cancer and she began a long struggle that ended with her death in 1981.
Terry (Papico) Thompson had been Marge’s best friend since high school. Their two families celebrated birthdays and holidays together and shared memorable vacation trips to Lake George, NY and Washington DC.
Following Marge’s death, Terry, who had been widowed herself six years earlier, made an effort to help Gene adjust. She rescued him from a lonely life of canned soup and an empty house by inviting him over for conversation and her wonderful home cooked meals. By 1983 they were married.
Over his 45-year career Gene worked as a machinist, tool and die maker, mechanical engineer and manufacturing plant manager. Retirement came in 1993. Reminders of his skills as a builder and a furniture maker can be found all over his home.
Gene and Terry very much enjoyed their trips to visit children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Minnesota. One time they even made a detour to see Tom in Denver. They also got great pleasure from hosting family gatherings at their home. These occasions were marked by good food and animated story telling.
Gene remained strong willed right up to the end. He told his doctors he was a “sore loser” and refused to give up. His family is relieved that he is finally at peace.
Gene is survived by his beloved wife Terry; two sons: Thomas Connell and partner Pedro Bernal, and Eugene J. Connell and wife Lisa; his daughter: Lauren Connell; three step-daughters: Kathy and husband Michael Franchino, Jacqueline and husband Kevin Cronin and Judith and husband Anthony Fontana; eight grandchildren: Angela, Dana, Michelle (husband Evan), Joseph, Laura, Gina, Christopher and Kelsey; four great-grandchildren: Alisa, Isabela, Austin and Emily; and several nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made in memory of Eugene T. Connell to the Mayo Clinic and designated for cancer research. Memorials can be made online at www.mayoclinic.org/development or mailed to Department of Development, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905.
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