Gene was born Feb 3, 1945, the eldest of eight children. A devout Catholic, Gene entered the Vincentian seminary at age 14 to study for the priesthood, but instead married in 1969.
Gene joined the U.S. Navy, serving as a swift boat captain and as the communications officer on the USS Hanson (DD-832). He later attended a total immersion program at the Defense Language Institute (DLI) in Monterrey, California, where he became fluent in Russian. He was assigned to the U.S. Naval Security Group Command (NSGC), serving as both a Russian and Spanish linguist.
While serving in Vietnam, Gene was grazed in the face by a bullet, but refused the Purple Heart submitted in his name by his seniors. Gene felt that his injury was not serious enough to merit the Purple Heart, stating that it was intended for those who had sustained "real injuries."
Gene retired from the Navy in 1987 with the rank of lieutenant commander. During his career, he was awarded the Bronze Star for valor.
Service with the Navy brought Gene, his wife and children to the Maryland suburbs of Washington DC. In 1985 Gene was ordained as a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of Washington, serving for 31 years. He was also a volunteer firefighter and a Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). He also had a career in radio engineering that included serving as the Chief Radio Engineer for Montgomery County, Maryland.
Gene died suddenly on Oct 24, 2016. He will be missed by his wife, children, grandchildren and the parishioners of St. John Neumann Church and St. Martin Church, both in Gaithersburg, Maryland, that he served so long and so well.
Gene joined the U.S. Navy, serving as a swift boat captain and as the communications officer on the USS Hanson (DD-832). He later attended a total immersion program at the Defense Language Institute (DLI) in Monterrey, California, where he became fluent in Russian. He was assigned to the U.S. Naval Security Group Command (NSGC), serving as both a Russian and Spanish linguist.
While serving in Vietnam, Gene was grazed in the face by a bullet, but refused the Purple Heart submitted in his name by his seniors. Gene felt that his injury was not serious enough to merit the Purple Heart, stating that it was intended for those who had sustained "real injuries."
Gene retired from the Navy in 1987 with the rank of lieutenant commander. During his career, he was awarded the Bronze Star for valor.
Service with the Navy brought Gene, his wife and children to the Maryland suburbs of Washington DC. In 1985 Gene was ordained as a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of Washington, serving for 31 years. He was also a volunteer firefighter and a Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). He also had a career in radio engineering that included serving as the Chief Radio Engineer for Montgomery County, Maryland.
Gene died suddenly on Oct 24, 2016. He will be missed by his wife, children, grandchildren and the parishioners of St. John Neumann Church and St. Martin Church, both in Gaithersburg, Maryland, that he served so long and so well.
Gene was born Feb 3, 1945, the eldest of eight children. A devout Catholic, Gene entered the Vincentian seminary at age 14 to study for the priesthood, but instead married in 1969.
Gene joined the U.S. Navy, serving as a swift boat captain and as the communications officer on the USS Hanson (DD-832). He later attended a total immersion program at the Defense Language Institute (DLI) in Monterrey, California, where he became fluent in Russian. He was assigned to the U.S. Naval Security Group Command (NSGC), serving as both a Russian and Spanish linguist.
While serving in Vietnam, Gene was grazed in the face by a bullet, but refused the Purple Heart submitted in his name by his seniors. Gene felt that his injury was not serious enough to merit the Purple Heart, stating that it was intended for those who had sustained "real injuries."
Gene retired from the Navy in 1987 with the rank of lieutenant commander. During his career, he was awarded the Bronze Star for valor.
Service with the Navy brought Gene, his wife and children to the Maryland suburbs of Washington DC. In 1985 Gene was ordained as a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of Washington, serving for 31 years. He was also a volunteer firefighter and a Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). He also had a career in radio engineering that included serving as the Chief Radio Engineer for Montgomery County, Maryland.
Gene died suddenly on Oct 24, 2016. He will be missed by his wife, children, grandchildren and the parishioners of St. John Neumann Church and St. Martin Church, both in Gaithersburg, Maryland, that he served so long and so well.
Gene joined the U.S. Navy, serving as a swift boat captain and as the communications officer on the USS Hanson (DD-832). He later attended a total immersion program at the Defense Language Institute (DLI) in Monterrey, California, where he became fluent in Russian. He was assigned to the U.S. Naval Security Group Command (NSGC), serving as both a Russian and Spanish linguist.
While serving in Vietnam, Gene was grazed in the face by a bullet, but refused the Purple Heart submitted in his name by his seniors. Gene felt that his injury was not serious enough to merit the Purple Heart, stating that it was intended for those who had sustained "real injuries."
Gene retired from the Navy in 1987 with the rank of lieutenant commander. During his career, he was awarded the Bronze Star for valor.
Service with the Navy brought Gene, his wife and children to the Maryland suburbs of Washington DC. In 1985 Gene was ordained as a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of Washington, serving for 31 years. He was also a volunteer firefighter and a Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). He also had a career in radio engineering that included serving as the Chief Radio Engineer for Montgomery County, Maryland.
Gene died suddenly on Oct 24, 2016. He will be missed by his wife, children, grandchildren and the parishioners of St. John Neumann Church and St. Martin Church, both in Gaithersburg, Maryland, that he served so long and so well.
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