Eugene R. “Gene” Aiello, 82, of Pleasant Prairie, WI, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, February 9, 2013, at Chain O’Lakes in Antioch, IL, following a day of ice fishing, with his constant fishing buddy Gene Breiling who will greatly miss his companionship.
He was born on May 17, 1930, in Kenosha, WI, to Italian immigrants, Salvatore Natale and Giovannina (Salerno) Aiello. He graduated from Bradford High School in 1949.
Gene was an avid fisherman, golfer, and sausage maker, just to name a few of his many interests. He shared a love of gardening with his late mother-in-law, Caterina Caira, from whom he learned a great deal of favorite family recipes. He loved to hunt for mushrooms, never reveling his favorite spots and make the best giardinera around. He also managed to find the time to read at least one book a week. Gene was a very meticulous "lure" maker, spending countless hours in his workshop in the basement during the winter months, while watching his endless recorded programs on TV.
After both parents died of cancer when he was a young man, Gene sacrificed his dream of becoming a doctor to take care of his three younger siblings until joining the US Army in 1955. He was honorably discharged in1957 not long after marrying Rose Caira in Rende, Cosenza, Italy, on July 11, 1957. Gene worked for American Motors from 1951 until his retirement in 1984. He would spend the next 29 years doing what he loved most; his many hobbies, socializing, and working part time at Bristol Oaks Country Club. He was a member of UAW & Retirees Club, for a time The Knights of Columbus and a 50 year member of St. Mary’s Ushers Club. He was President of the Lendman-Mischler Golf League up to the time of his death.
Gene was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Albert, in-laws, Pietro and Caterina Caira, brother-in-law, Paul Grimstad and niece, Mary Caira. He leaves behind his wife, Rose; three daughters, Jeanine McMahon of Kenosha, Cathy Aiello of Santa Barbara, CA, and Suzanne Whiteside of Pleasant Prairie; sisters, Dorothy (Arnold) Neises of Monroe, WI, and Mary (Richard) Winters of Kenosha, WI; sister-in-law, Diane Aiello of Huntington Beach, CA; four grandchildren, twenty nieces and nephews, twenty-nine great nieces and nephews, and four great-great nieces and nephews. He will also be missed by many more extended family-members, in Italy, Canada and South America and friends. He will also be missed by Greg Whiteside of Kenosha, and Terry McMahon of Pleasant Prairie. He will be especially missed by his eldest grandson, Bobby Whiteside, Gene’s constant movie and dinner buddy.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, February 14th, from Proko Funeral Home at 9:30 a.m. Mass will be celebrated at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 7307-40th Avenue, at 10:00 a.m. Entombment, with full military honors, will follow at All Saints Mausoleum. Visitation will be held on Wednesday at Proko Funeral Home from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. The family wishes memorials to be made to The American Heart Association.
Visit Gene’s Online Memorial Book at:
www.prokofuneralhome.com