Gene Kuruc, age 72 of Milford, beloved husband of Mary Perkins Kuruc, passed away unexpectedly on June 10, 2014 surrounded by family and friends.
Gene was born on September 7, 1941 to the late John and Helen (Gruce) Kuruc.
A graduate of Sts. Cyril and Methodius Grammar School in Bpt, Fairfield Prep and Fairfield University, he later received his Masters Degree from Fordham University. He served in the U.S. Army from 1964 through 1966 as a Social Work Specialist. Gene spent thirty-three years with the Juvenile Court system in the State of Connecticut.
Following his retirement, he and his wife, Mary, traveled to Europe several times and recently had become snowbirds after purchasing a home at Colony Cove in Ellenton, FL. A member of St. Gabriel Parish in Milford, he was awarded the Saint Joseph Medal of Appreciation by the Archdiocese of Hartford in 2008. A participant in the parish choir, Gene, had also been a singer with the Fairfield University Glee Club, and the choral groups of the Arbeiter Maennerchor of West Haven, the Meriden Turner Society and the Milford Senior Center Gospel Choir.
A lifelong member of the Slovak Catholic Sokol, Gene had been an officer on the local, group and national level. A former duckpin and tenpin bowler, he attended several tournaments and sets throughout the country and Canada with the Sokols.
Gene had a beautiful garden that featured his dahlias, massive zucchini, painful horseradish and hot peppers that he liked to torture family and friends with. Gene had a passion for cooking and his coleslaw, zucchini bread, mushroom soup and chili concoctions were favorites at gatherings. Gene “enjoyed” watching the Mets and “Da Bears” in his spare time, he also enjoyed sing-alongs while playing his banjo and harmonica.
Gene was a soft-spoken tough man with an infectious smile, he had a huge heart and his kindness was beyond words.
Survivors include his wife, Mary, and son, Christopher and wife Shannon, as well as his Daughter-in-law Kimberly and his grandchildren Nicholas and Kyle and Axel the family dog. Gene was predeceased by his brother, John (Cuddles), his son Chip Hatcher and brother-in-law Stan Perkins.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, June 14th at 11:00 AM DIRECTLY in Saint Gabriel Church, 26 Broadway, Milford. Interment will be private. Friends may call on Friday, from 4:00 to 8:00 PM in THE GREGORY F DOYLE FUNERAL HOME, 291 Bridgeport Avenue, Milford.
In lieu of flowers and in honor of Gene defeating cancer, donations may be made to The American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St, Framingham, MA 01701.
To leave an online condolence, please visit www.gregoryfdoylefuneralhome.com.