Eugene Sarazen of Sharon passed away Monday afternoon, December 28, 2020 in Sharon Regional Medical Center. He was 73.
Gene was born December 25, 1947, in Sharon, a son of the late Walter and Henrietta (Kuharski) Sarazen. An Eagle Scout and a proud 1965 graduate of Farrell High School, he earned his bachelor's degree in education, specializing in social studies, from Edinboro University and served in the U.S. Army. During college, he worked as a play-by-play sports broadcaster at WFAR in Farrell.
Gene was a beloved teacher and basketball coach, leaving an impact on the lives of many young student-athletes over his 49 years of coaching and teaching. During his early career, he worked in the Farrell Area School District as a substitute teacher and boys basketball coach. He taught social studies in the Sharon School District for many years and served, at different points, as the head coach for the boys and girls basketball teams. During his tenure at Sharon, he coached the Lady Tigers to a handful of 20-win seasons, highlighted by the 2005-06 campaign that concluded 28-2. His record coaching the Lady Tigers was 163-66 won-lost mark, a 71.1 winning percentage. He also coached girls and boys basketball at Sharpsville, Reynolds, and, most recently, Kennedy Catholic.
Gene was a lifelong member and usher of the former St. Adalbert's Polish Roman Catholic Church, Farrell and belonged to the Croatian American Civic Club in Farrell, where he served as president and organized their national basketball tournaments. “Bucco” was also the successful Pepsi-Cola team manager in the Shenango Valley Slow Pitch Softball League and served on the board of directors for the Mercer County Hall of Fame.
Surviving are: his wife, the former Donna Lee Small, whom he married May 21, 1977; a daughter, Michele Sarazen and her husband, RJ Littley, of Princeton, NJ; a son, Ryan Sarazen and his partner, Jessica Cohn, of Washington, DC; a sister- and brother-in-law, Debbi and Nick Morocco, of Sharon; and his niece and nephew.
Besides his parents, Gene was preceded in death by a brother, Jerry Sarazen; his godmother, Julia Sarazen; his step-father, Earl Dill; and his father- and mother-in-law, Donald and Betty Small.
A celebration of Gene's life will be held at a later date when it is possible for all to gather safely. Interment: Holy Cross Cemetery, Hermitage.
Gene was born December 25, 1947, in Sharon, a son of the late Walter and Henrietta (Kuharski) Sarazen. An Eagle Scout and a proud 1965 graduate of Farrell High School, he earned his bachelor's degree in education, specializing in social studies, from Edinboro University and served in the U.S. Army. During college, he worked as a play-by-play sports broadcaster at WFAR in Farrell.
Gene was a beloved teacher and basketball coach, leaving an impact on the lives of many young student-athletes over his 49 years of coaching and teaching. During his early career, he worked in the Farrell Area School District as a substitute teacher and boys basketball coach. He taught social studies in the Sharon School District for many years and served, at different points, as the head coach for the boys and girls basketball teams. During his tenure at Sharon, he coached the Lady Tigers to a handful of 20-win seasons, highlighted by the 2005-06 campaign that concluded 28-2. His record coaching the Lady Tigers was 163-66 won-lost mark, a 71.1 winning percentage. He also coached girls and boys basketball at Sharpsville, Reynolds, and, most recently, Kennedy Catholic.
Gene was a lifelong member and usher of the former St. Adalbert's Polish Roman Catholic Church, Farrell and belonged to the Croatian American Civic Club in Farrell, where he served as president and organized their national basketball tournaments. “Bucco” was also the successful Pepsi-Cola team manager in the Shenango Valley Slow Pitch Softball League and served on the board of directors for the Mercer County Hall of Fame.
Surviving are: his wife, the former Donna Lee Small, whom he married May 21, 1977; a daughter, Michele Sarazen and her husband, RJ Littley, of Princeton, NJ; a son, Ryan Sarazen and his partner, Jessica Cohn, of Washington, DC; a sister- and brother-in-law, Debbi and Nick Morocco, of Sharon; and his niece and nephew.
Besides his parents, Gene was preceded in death by a brother, Jerry Sarazen; his godmother, Julia Sarazen; his step-father, Earl Dill; and his father- and mother-in-law, Donald and Betty Small.
A celebration of Gene's life will be held at a later date when it is possible for all to gather safely. Interment: Holy Cross Cemetery, Hermitage.
Eugene Sarazen of Sharon passed away Monday afternoon, December 28, 2020 in Sharon Regional Medical Center. He was 73.
Gene was born December 25, 1947, in Sharon, a son of the late Walter and Henrietta (Kuharski) Sarazen. An Eagle Scout and a proud 1965 graduate of Farrell High School, he earned his bachelor's degree in education, specializing in social studies, from Edinboro University and served in the U.S. Army. During college, he worked as a play-by-play sports broadcaster at WFAR in Farrell.
Gene was a beloved teacher and basketball coach, leaving an impact on the lives of many young student-athletes over his 49 years of coaching and teaching. During his early career, he worked in the Farrell Area School District as a substitute teacher and boys basketball coach. He taught social studies in the Sharon School District for many years and served, at different points, as the head coach for the boys and girls basketball teams. During his tenure at Sharon, he coached the Lady Tigers to a handful of 20-win seasons, highlighted by the 2005-06 campaign that concluded 28-2. His record coaching the Lady Tigers was 163-66 won-lost mark, a 71.1 winning percentage. He also coached girls and boys basketball at Sharpsville, Reynolds, and, most recently, Kennedy Catholic.
Gene was a lifelong member and usher of the former St. Adalbert's Polish Roman Catholic Church, Farrell and belonged to the Croatian American Civic Club in Farrell, where he served as president and organized their national basketball tournaments. “Bucco” was also the successful Pepsi-Cola team manager in the Shenango Valley Slow Pitch Softball League and served on the board of directors for the Mercer County Hall of Fame.
Surviving are: his wife, the former Donna Lee Small, whom he married May 21, 1977; a daughter, Michele Sarazen and her husband, RJ Littley, of Princeton, NJ; a son, Ryan Sarazen and his partner, Jessica Cohn, of Washington, DC; a sister- and brother-in-law, Debbi and Nick Morocco, of Sharon; and his niece and nephew.
Besides his parents, Gene was preceded in death by a brother, Jerry Sarazen; his godmother, Julia Sarazen; his step-father, Earl Dill; and his father- and mother-in-law, Donald and Betty Small.
A celebration of Gene's life will be held at a later date when it is possible for all to gather safely. Interment: Holy Cross Cemetery, Hermitage.
Gene was born December 25, 1947, in Sharon, a son of the late Walter and Henrietta (Kuharski) Sarazen. An Eagle Scout and a proud 1965 graduate of Farrell High School, he earned his bachelor's degree in education, specializing in social studies, from Edinboro University and served in the U.S. Army. During college, he worked as a play-by-play sports broadcaster at WFAR in Farrell.
Gene was a beloved teacher and basketball coach, leaving an impact on the lives of many young student-athletes over his 49 years of coaching and teaching. During his early career, he worked in the Farrell Area School District as a substitute teacher and boys basketball coach. He taught social studies in the Sharon School District for many years and served, at different points, as the head coach for the boys and girls basketball teams. During his tenure at Sharon, he coached the Lady Tigers to a handful of 20-win seasons, highlighted by the 2005-06 campaign that concluded 28-2. His record coaching the Lady Tigers was 163-66 won-lost mark, a 71.1 winning percentage. He also coached girls and boys basketball at Sharpsville, Reynolds, and, most recently, Kennedy Catholic.
Gene was a lifelong member and usher of the former St. Adalbert's Polish Roman Catholic Church, Farrell and belonged to the Croatian American Civic Club in Farrell, where he served as president and organized their national basketball tournaments. “Bucco” was also the successful Pepsi-Cola team manager in the Shenango Valley Slow Pitch Softball League and served on the board of directors for the Mercer County Hall of Fame.
Surviving are: his wife, the former Donna Lee Small, whom he married May 21, 1977; a daughter, Michele Sarazen and her husband, RJ Littley, of Princeton, NJ; a son, Ryan Sarazen and his partner, Jessica Cohn, of Washington, DC; a sister- and brother-in-law, Debbi and Nick Morocco, of Sharon; and his niece and nephew.
Besides his parents, Gene was preceded in death by a brother, Jerry Sarazen; his godmother, Julia Sarazen; his step-father, Earl Dill; and his father- and mother-in-law, Donald and Betty Small.
A celebration of Gene's life will be held at a later date when it is possible for all to gather safely. Interment: Holy Cross Cemetery, Hermitage.
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