The Leo Alumni Association was recently notified of the death of Eugene F. Earner by many of his friends and his family. Gene was an ever-present force in the Leo High School Alumni Association having been active for many decades after his graduation.
Gene came to Leo as a graduate of St. Margaret of Scotland Grammar School, a school with which Gene would maintain a close relationship through the many decades. His fund raising and other efforts on behalf of that school were very publicly recognized in 2015 when he was named the “man of the year” at their 140th Anniversary.
While at Leo Gene participated in the Bantams Basketball Team, the Honor Roll, the Knights of the Blessed Sacrament and Intramural basketball. After graduating from Leo Gene served in the US Army. Gene was subsequently employed for A.J. Canfield Beverage Co., delivering their soft drinks for 25 years. The father of a very large family (see obituary below) all of his children were given a Catholic school education.
Gene was an active, hard-working, and well-respected member of the Alumni Association and of the Chicago community in general. In a degree of recognition of his work on behalf of the Alumni Association and Leo High School Gene received, over the years, every major award the Association has to offer including being admitted to the Leo Hall of Fame, being named Leo Man of the Year, receiving the Leo Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Community Service Award. Know to many for his service as a field announcer and score keeper for Leo High School for two decades, Gene was also known in a more carefree way as a singing voice of Leo high School, always leading the much revered Leo high School School Fight Song at all alumni events at which he was present.
The excerpt below from Gene’s obituary is a notable, if partial, expression of the life of Gene Earner:
Beloved husband of the late Donna A. Earner (nee Merritt). Loving father of James (Kathleen), Thomas (Laura), Mary (Michael) Maloney, Terrence (Karen), Patricia (Raymond) Callahan, Richard, Daniel, Colleen, Joseph (Margaret), Timothy, Brian, and the late William. Cherished grandfather of 18 and great-grandfather of 28. Proud son of the late George and Elsie Earner. Dear brother of the late Kenneth (the late Mary) Earner. Fond uncle of many nieces and nephews. Very proud graduate of St. Margaret of Scotland Class of 1946 and Leo High School Class of 1950. Member of Leo High School Hall of Fame and recipient of multiple alumni awards. Former Field announcer and score keeper for 19 years at Leo High School, Basketball coach and President of Most Holy Redeemer Grammar School Athletic Association, President and Co- Founder of Southwest Athletic Conference. Player-Manager of Robbins Drugs 19th Ward Softball Champs. Longtime organizer of St. Patrick’s Day Fundraisers at St. Margaret of Scotland Church and Most Holy Redeemer Church. Avid golfer. Driver for 25 years at A.J. Canfield Beverage Company and proud member of Teamsters Local 744.
A very nice article on Gene is available at this link which was done for the Beverly Review Newspaper by Leo’s own Bill Figel. It is likely to be of interest to those who knew Gene. Gene’s son James has served as the Business Manager at Leo high School for 13 years and his family members, particularly his many sons, remain important members of the Leo Alumni community.
The entire membership of the Alumni Association offers its prayers and condolences to Gene’s family, and to his close friends and associates at this time. Gene Earner’s obituary information is available here. Gene Earner’s obituary information is available here. In lieu of flowers please send donations to Leo High School, 7901 S. Sangamon, Chicago, IL 60620, or to the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers (information is in the obituary link).
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