Gene's service - December 19, 2024

 St. Rita Catholic Church, Dallas, Texas

Gene was a friend, mentor, and supporter. He believed in me from the first time we met and assisted me in reaching my career and life goals. It was wonderful to have a respected individual accept and affirm my identity. He had a genuine interest in my life and family, always remembering my children’s names and showing interest in their activities. I can write about his managerial style and his role in developing a supportive and creative culture at Brookhaven. However, my fondest memories are not professional but personal, forming the foundation of a forty-plus year relationship. Listening to him discuss his family showed his deep affection and caring nature that touched everyone in his life. It was wonderful hearing about his East Texas/Arkansas upbringing and comparing it with my NYC/Italian family background.

The lunches or just office talk about his family and the highs and lows of his girls and then all the grandchildren are cherished memories. I remember small things, like his kindness in cutting the crust off Wells' sandwiches at home, or watching Wells roll in his office chair down the halls at Brookhaven and then observing him gently distract her from continuing. Gene made sure both my children were enrolled in the Brookhaven Child Development Center, and we would watch them via the two-way mirrors. The special names "Young Marc" and "Sweet Melissa" continued into our final conversations.

When I think of all my departed family and friends, it is the big events I remember, but it is the day-to-day interactions that I miss the most. I find it important to keep these everyday memories alive to maintain the connection. As I thought about Gene and what to write, the words that came to mind were: kind, genuine, honest, caring, servant leader, noble, active listener, intelligent, emotionally intelligent, facilitator, sensitive persuader, humorous, and creative problem solver. I can give examples of each. However, the one word that resonates most with me regarding Gene is... RESPECT. You cannot have a profound relationship without mutual respect. I respected Gene for being a servant leader, a parenting role model, a caring friend, and above all for just being Genuine Gene. He respected and accepted others, and this respect and acceptance, coupled with active listening and support, brought out the good in many people and facilitated their genuineness.

This is a world where manipulation is dominant and us vs them encounters leads to zero sum conclusions. My hope is that the people that Gene touched will continue to feel and channel his respect to live a genuine life and be a change agent to facilitate the reduction of the “all about me” society.