Obituary-Eugene J Donnelly

Born on October 10, 1927 in Bronx NY

Married December 20, 1969

Died on May 23, 2012, in Stamford CT

Curriculum Vitae

1941-43 Attended Saint Agnes HS, Manhattan NY

1943-1945 Marist Preparatory, Esopus New York

1945 - 1947 Marist Brothers Novitiate, Poughkeepsie, NY

26 July 1946 Received the religious Habit July 26, 1946

25 July 1947 Professed First Vows on July 26, 1947

1947-1948 Marist Preparatory Esopus NY - cook

1948-1951 Marist College, Poughkeepsie NY - student

1951 BA Degree, Marist College

1951-1958 St. Mary's High School, Manhasset NY  teacher

1958-1966 Archbishop Molloy HS, Queens NY _ principal

1966-1967 Second Novitiate, Fribourg, Switzerland

1967 - 1969 St. Helena's HS, Bronx NY  - principal

Married to Adrienne 20 December 1969

1969 - 1992  Guidance counselor, Norwalk CT

1992 - 2012   Retired June 1992

23 May 2012   Died Stamford CT

Memories from Adrienne Donnelly, submitted at request of Rich Foy.

18 June 2012.  Gene received two Master Degrees while in the Brothers; one from St. John's University and one from Iona College.  He and I both went back to school and received Masters in Education from the University of Bridgeport. (As it worked out, the head of the Education Department at University of Bridgeport was a Doctor John Kelly.  He had also been a Marist Brother and remembered Gene.)

Gene and I were married on December 20, 1969.  We spent most of our married life in Stamford CT.  Gene was a guidance counselor in Norwalk CT from 1969 until he retired in June 1992.  He thoroughly enjoyed his twenty years of retirement.

Gene and I were blessed with two daughters and ten grandchildren.  Gene loved his family and was happiest surrounded by his loving daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren.

Gene loved to travel and we did.  We traveled through most of the United States, including Hawaii three times and a cruise to Alaska.  We also traveled through all of Western Europe, and the Caribbean.  We especially liked Puerto Rico and spent many vacations there, including a stay with Denis Murphy while he was teaching at the University of Puerto Rico.

Gene cherished his relationship with the Marist Brothers and was always grateful to them.  He maintained friendships with many of the Brothers, especially Denis Murphy, Ed McElroy and Bro Richard Rancourt.  We attended many reunions and functions at Marist and Gene enjoyed receiving any information about the Marist community.  He especially enjoyed reading MaristsAll.  Gene always reflected fondly on his years as a Marist Brother.

Gene died peacefully at home on 23 May 2012, with his family around him.

It was an honor to have been Gene's wife for 42 years.  We will all miss him.

(Editor's note:  Denis Murphy was best man at the wedding of Gene and Adrienne, and Gene was the best man at Denis' wedding.)

Vignette by Richard Foy.  

When Gene was cooking in Esopus (1947-1948), he was outside the mansion when a chauffeured limousine drove up.  A tall dignified gentlemen got out of the back and introduced himself as the former owner of the property, who was passing by and hoped to visit the place.  Gene invited him inside, but he demurred, saying he was pressed for time.

    The gentleman was Harry Payne Bingham, nephew of Oliver Hazzard Payne, who had inherited the Esopus estate when Payne died.  He owned the estate from 1917 until he donated it to the Protestant Episcopal Church of New York in 1933.  The church instituted Wiltwyck School on the west side of route 9W, and attempted to operate the mansion and English village as a convalescent home for New York City poor.  The convalescent home attempt did not work out, and the property east of route 9W remained vacant from 1938 until the Marist Brothers began the Juniorate in Summer 1942.

To the best of my knowledge, Gene was the only one among the Brothers who ever had any personal contact with the Payne family.

Source: Original Marists All Site

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