Eugene J. "Gene" Jordano, Jr.

Eugene J. "Gene" Jordano Jr.

Eugene J. "Gene" Jordano, Jr., age 89, of Erie, died Sunday, April 21, 2013. He was born May 15, 1923 in Erie, a son of the late Eugene J. Jordano, Sr. and Fortuna Leone Jordano.

He was a graduate of Central Tech High School. Gene was a decorated World War II Veteran, receiving a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and numerous other medals. He rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant when a battlefield commission was bestowed upon him by General George S. Patton on May 28, 1945.

Gene was a member of the National Club, Nuova Aurora Club, and Saint Paul's Holy Name Society, Italian Festival Committee and Food Bank. He especially enjoyed spending time with the Old Gang from Irving Park, dating back to 1946, organizing their golf tournaments and along with Joe Ruscitto presiding over many of their dinners (If there was a group assembled, Gene usually took over the microphone).

He and his brothers bowled in the Brothers Bowling Tournament for more than 25 years and had the honor of winning the Championship in 1964.

To say that Gene was organized, would be an understatement, especially since he wrote most of this obituary himself in 2003, including "My hobbies and pleasures are my family first, woodworking, golf, gardening and life in general." His love of family was always evident, but never more so than during the Jordano Family Picnics. He often organized the games, cooked the steaks, and got everyone involved.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his wife, Fiorina "Fifi" Leone Jordano; six brothers, Thomas "Muzzy", James "Maxie" , John, Tony, Dom, and Louie Jordano; three sisters, Marian Panuzzo, Mary Kobel, and infant sister Theresa; sisters-in-law, Josephine "Jay" Yacobozzi, Alma Jordano, Pia Jordano, Jean Bugaj, and Mary Jordano Metzger and two brothers-in-law, Chuck Kobel and Ralph Panuzzo.

He will be dearly missed by his two daughters, Jean Marie King (Rick) and Cynthia Ann Ferritto (David Kowalewski); one son, Mark E. Jordano (Sandy) all of Erie and six grandchildren, Melissa Brown (Lance), Michele King, Victor B. Ferritto, and Samantha, Alexa and Gino Jordano. Also surviving are two great-grandchildren, Mela and Jordan Brown; a sister-in-law, Mary Jordano; three brothers-in-law, Tony, Fiore, and Danny Leone and many nieces, nephews and godchildren.

Friends are invited to call at the John R. Orlando Funeral Home, Inc., 2122 Raspberry Street, on Wednesday from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. and may attend a Funeral Service there on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at Saint Paul RC Church, 1617 Walnut Street, at 10:00 a.m. Entombment with military honors will be in Gate of Heaven Cemetery Mausoleum. Saint Paul Church Holy Name Society will meet at the Funeral Home on Wednesday at 3 p.m. Memorials may be made to VFW Post 470, 1808 West 26th Street, Erie, PA 16508 or VNA Hospice, 2253 West Grandview Blvd Erie, PA 16506.