Eugene McCluskey dies

Many of my DHS classmates new Eugene McC\luskey

Eugene Donald McCluskey Sr., 79, of Dennison, O., passed away suddenly on Monday, Dec. 1, 2008, while enjoying one of his favorite activities, hunting with friends and family.
Born July 13, 1929, near Stillwater, O., he was a son of the late John Franklin and Ona Elizabeth (Donley) McCluskey and was a lifelong resident of Dennison.

Gene was a graduate of Dennison High School in the class of 1947 and a member of the former Grant Street United Methodist Church in Dennison. He worked tirelessly throughout his life to better his community and was a staunch supporter of many of the town's charities and public works.

In addition to serving as a councilman in Dennison from 1956 to 1960, and from 1998 until the time of his passing, he had also worked on projects too numerous to mention for the village's parks and recreation departments, as well as serving on the board of Union Cemetery. Gene had so much to offer his community and never held anything back from serving his friends and neighbors in the Twin City area.

Gene proudly served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War from 1949 to 1952. Of particular note is his service as a member of Gen. Douglas MacArthur's honor guard while stationed in Japan at the height of the Korean War.

An avid outdoorsman, Gene loved the time that he spent in nature while hunting, trapping and fishing which he enjoyed with many of his friends and with his sons. He also enjoyed carpentry and masonry, having built his own home, as well as many garages in the area.

Gene was employed by Associated Grocers from 1965 until 1991. Previously, he had been a police officer for the village of Dennison in the early '60s and had worked in the local clay industry for a number of years.

On May 20, 1949, he married the former Mary Lou Trimmer who survives him. They have two sons, Eugene D. McCluskey Jr. and his wife, Martine, of Ashburn, Va., and Timothy L. McCluskey and his wife, Jackie, of Chesterland, O.; and four grandchildren, Kaitlin, Matthew, Morgan and Vincent McCluskey.

Gene is also survived by four sisters, Mrs. Jim (Lois J.) Huff of Uhrichsville, Mrs. Harold (Betty J.) Berquist of New Philadelphia, Mrs. Charles (Irene F.) Riley of Dennison and Mrs. Renate (Mary K.) Barnabi of Dennison; sisters- and brothers-in-law, Harriett McCluskey, Barbara Richardson, Lois Jane Trimmer, Donald Richard "Moe" Trimmer, Ora Trimmer and Carolyn Trimmer; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a brother, John F. McCluskey Jr.; and five sisters, Beulah M. Arnold, Dorothy V. Hite, Josephine M. Hykes, Sophia E. Golec and Sally A. Polen.

Services for Gene, officiated by Rev. Harry Milligan, will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 4, in the R.K. Lindsey Funeral Home at Dennison. Interment will follow in Uhrichsville's Union Cemetery with a military committal service.

Family and friends are invited to call at the funeral home from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday (today). In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor Gene's memory may do so by making a charitable donation to the Dennison Railroad Depot Museum or the Twin City Hospital Foundation.
R.K. Lindsey (740) 922-1970 www.lindseyfh.com
[Times-Reporter, New Philadelphia, OH,Wednesday, December 3, 2008 ]