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Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Friday, April 10, 2015 from 3:30 to 7:30 PM.
A service will take place on Saturday, April 11, 2015 beginning 10:00 AM at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Redeemer Cemetery, Mahwah.
Eugene “Gene” F. Tupper, age 88 of Whippany and formerly of Wayne, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Tuesday, April 7, 2015.
Gene was born and raised in Waucoma, Iowa. Following graduation from high school, Gene was immediately drafted into the U.S. Navy. He proudly represented his country serving in Okinawa, Japan, sustaining injuries during World War II as he bravely fought to defend the freedoms that we as Americans enjoy to this present day.
Upon his return home in 1945, he enrolled at Northwestern College near Minneapolis, Minnesota. While studying there, he worked part-time at Davies Mortuary which was within walking distance from Northwestern. He found residence living upstairs in the funeral home and often played the piano during funeral services. This part-time job re-kindled his interest in music, particularly piano playing and he subsequently enrolled at MacPhail School of Music in Minneapolis for more formal musical training.
During this period of his life, Gene got involved with an organization called The Navigators, an international, interdenominational Christian ministry whose aim was to help people grow in Jesus Christ as they navigated life. As part of his involvement with The Navigators, he attended a retreat in Colorado. While there, he met the woman he would someday marry. Her name was Dorothy. She became known to Gene as Dottie and, following the retreat, she and Gene continued their new relationship through consistent written correspondence. Through those letters their relationship and ultimate love for each other grew stronger and stronger resulting in the exchange of their wedding vows on Saturday, June 27, 1959 at Dottie’s hometown church in Nampa, Idaho.
Gene and Dottie established their first home in Minneapolis, MN where they soon welcomed a baby boy who they named Brian. Meanwhile, Gene had taken a job with Schmitt Music, a supplier of musical instruments to the greater Minneapolis area. He enjoyed the blessing of much success particularly as a piano salesman. So great was his success that he eventually found himself being pursued by various other piano and music franchise reps.
One day he was approached by Steinway and Sons Pianos of New York City to join their sales force. Steinway Hall, a collection of buildings housing concert halls, showrooms and sales departments for Steinway & Sons Pianos was considered by renowned pianists from Vladimir Horowitz and Sergei Rachmaninoff to Billy Joel and Judy Collins, to be the center of the piano universe! Many of the worlds most accomplished piano artists of all times played in its concert hall and many more selected performance instruments from the famed Steinway piano bank. Gene eagerly accepted their offer relocating his family in 1980 from Minneapolis to New Jersey beginning a life of commuting to his new job in New York City at 6th Ave. and West 57th Street.
Gene loved his work and poured every ounce of his heart and soul into it. He continuously strived to be the best, enthusiastically studying musical theory and piano composers from every genre and era. He worked just as passionately to hone his sales skills often-times listening to motivational tapes as he commuted by bus from his home on Hillcrest Drive in Wayne to New York City. His efforts paid off and he eventually became known as thee authority regarding the company’s pianos. Gene received awards as he set world sales records for Steinway and Sons and his awards got the attention of the New York Times who honored him with a feature article. Throughout his twenty-year career, Gene had the privilege of getting to know many famous artists including Billy Joel and Elton John. He enjoyed playing piano himself, just to relax, and in 2003 he purchased his very own nine foot Steinway concert grand piano which was autographed on the underside of the harp cover by Henry Steinway himself.
Gene retired in 1999 and sadly, his beloved wife Dottie passed away that same year after a blessed and happy marriage of forty years together. In 2010 Gene moved, along with his son Brian and daughter-in-law Sylvie and his three grandchildren, to Whippany. Upon his passing from this life he celebrates his reunion with his beloved wife Dottie.
Gene could easily be described as the kindest man ever! He was super thoughtful and a real gentle man who was always smiling and often joking around. His faith in God was real! As a young man he dedicated himself to the study of biblical scripture. He had a whole card catalog of numerous scripture verses. He was known for carrying a small handful of those index cards around with him so that if he found himself with some idle time, he could read them and write the truths they conveyed on his mind and heart. Gene did the same thing with vocabulary words – always trying to expand and improve his vocabulary so that he could be a better salesperson. His family says that Gene encouraged them to do the same. They believe that these practices were highly instrumental in making Gene the man they knew and that everyone else knew, loved and respected too. He will be missed!
Gene is survived by his dear son Brian and wife Sylvie of Whippany; and his cherished and adored granddaughters: Novelie, Averie, and Evelie. In addition to his beloved wife Dottie, he was predeceased by his two dear sisters: Evelyn Lord in 2007 and Carol Liefert in 2013.
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 Friday, April 10, 2015 from 3:30 to 7:30 PM.
A service will take place on Saturday, April 11, 2015 beginning 10:00 AM at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Redeemer Cemetery, Mahwah.
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Friday, April 10, 2015 from 3:30 to 7:30 PM.
A service will take place on Saturday, April 11, 2015 beginning 10:00 AM at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Redeemer Cemetery, Mahwah.
Eugene “Gene” F. Tupper, age 88 of Whippany and formerly of Wayne, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Tuesday, April 7, 2015.
Gene was born and raised in Waucoma, Iowa. Following graduation from high school, Gene was immediately drafted into the U.S. Navy. He proudly represented his country serving in Okinawa, Japan, sustaining injuries during World War II as he bravely fought to defend the freedoms that we as Americans enjoy to this present day.
Upon his return home in 1945, he enrolled at Northwestern College near Minneapolis, Minnesota. While studying there, he worked part-time at Davies Mortuary which was within walking distance from Northwestern. He found residence living upstairs in the funeral home and often played the piano during funeral services. This part-time job re-kindled his interest in music, particularly piano playing and he subsequently enrolled at MacPhail School of Music in Minneapolis for more formal musical training.
During this period of his life, Gene got involved with an organization called The Navigators, an international, interdenominational Christian ministry whose aim was to help people grow in Jesus Christ as they navigated life. As part of his involvement with The Navigators, he attended a retreat in Colorado. While there, he met the woman he would someday marry. Her name was Dorothy. She became known to Gene as Dottie and, following the retreat, she and Gene continued their new relationship through consistent written correspondence. Through those letters their relationship and ultimate love for each other grew stronger and stronger resulting in the exchange of their wedding vows on Saturday, June 27, 1959 at Dottie’s hometown church in Nampa, Idaho.
Gene and Dottie established their first home in Minneapolis, MN where they soon welcomed a baby boy who they named Brian. Meanwhile, Gene had taken a job with Schmitt Music, a supplier of musical instruments to the greater Minneapolis area. He enjoyed the blessing of much success particularly as a piano salesman. So great was his success that he eventually found himself being pursued by various other piano and music franchise reps.
One day he was approached by Steinway and Sons Pianos of New York City to join their sales force. Steinway Hall, a collection of buildings housing concert halls, showrooms and sales departments for Steinway & Sons Pianos was considered by renowned pianists from Vladimir Horowitz and Sergei Rachmaninoff to Billy Joel and Judy Collins, to be the center of the piano universe! Many of the worlds most accomplished piano artists of all times played in its concert hall and many more selected performance instruments from the famed Steinway piano bank. Gene eagerly accepted their offer relocating his family in 1980 from Minneapolis to New Jersey beginning a life of commuting to his new job in New York City at 6th Ave. and West 57th Street.
Gene loved his work and poured every ounce of his heart and soul into it. He continuously strived to be the best, enthusiastically studying musical theory and piano composers from every genre and era. He worked just as passionately to hone his sales skills often-times listening to motivational tapes as he commuted by bus from his home on Hillcrest Drive in Wayne to New York City. His efforts paid off and he eventually became known as thee authority regarding the company’s pianos. Gene received awards as he set world sales records for Steinway and Sons and his awards got the attention of the New York Times who honored him with a feature article. Throughout his twenty-year career, Gene had the privilege of getting to know many famous artists including Billy Joel and Elton John. He enjoyed playing piano himself, just to relax, and in 2003 he purchased his very own nine foot Steinway concert grand piano which was autographed on the underside of the harp cover by Henry Steinway himself.
Gene retired in 1999 and sadly, his beloved wife Dottie passed away that same year after a blessed and happy marriage of forty years together. In 2010 Gene moved, along with his son Brian and daughter-in-law Sylvie and his three grandchildren, to Whippany. Upon his passing from this life he celebrates his reunion with his beloved wife Dottie.
Gene could easily be described as the kindest man ever! He was super thoughtful and a real gentle man who was always smiling and often joking around. His faith in God was real! As a young man he dedicated himself to the study of biblical scripture. He had a whole card catalog of numerous scripture verses. He was known for carrying a small handful of those index cards around with him so that if he found himself with some idle time, he could read them and write the truths they conveyed on his mind and heart. Gene did the same thing with vocabulary words – always trying to expand and improve his vocabulary so that he could be a better salesperson. His family says that Gene encouraged them to do the same. They believe that these practices were highly instrumental in making Gene the man they knew and that everyone else knew, loved and respected too. He will be missed!
Gene is survived by his dear son Brian and wife Sylvie of Whippany; and his cherished and adored granddaughters: Novelie, Averie, and Evelie. In addition to his beloved wife Dottie, he was predeceased by his two dear sisters: Evelyn Lord in 2007 and Carol Liefert in 2013.
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