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Gene Pavone Is Quite a Guy!
I first met Gene Pavone in the early 1990s. By then he was a prominent businessnman and politician and I had heard of him, but we had never met. Meeting him for the first time was something memorable. It didn't take him long to kid me about being a teacher, and having the summers off and all those vacations. Then when he had me shaking my head, he reminded me that two of his sons were teachers. Then he smiled and patted me on the back.
As romance (his son and my sister) brought the Gagnons and Pavones together more often I started to look forward to Gene's holiday stories. I found out that if Gene's around there would be laughter. Nobody was safe from one of Gene's good-natured verbal jabs.
And after hearing stories from family and friends over the past few days it became clear that Gene loved to kid everyone. That was one of his trademarks. It also became clear that Gene had hundreds of friends. It seemed as though if you met Gene Pavone once he considered you one of his friends.
As Gene's funeral today passed and people gathered at the Elk's Club to celebrate his life, the stories continued. And they continued for hours. His grandson Chris told me the story of all the squirrels running around Plattsburgh with painted tails. That was one I had never heard. Even the squirrels in the West End knew Gene Pavone!
Everything that took place today had a spirit of respect for a man who was loved by many: his family, his buddies at the Catamount Hunting Club -- Gene's passing leaves only Jerry Leonard and Arnie Pavone as the original good ol' boys -- and the Mall Walking Club, and his friends from business and politics.
He was the kind of guy who always had something to do, some project to take care of. If he were still alive, he would have had something to do today, tomorrow and the next day. When I saw that his middle initial was "E," I immediately thought of "Energy."
Married to Bertha for 59 years there was no doubt how much he adored her -- although he might be the last to admit it. But we all knew anyway.
Months ago at a family gathering I asked Gene to be a subject for one of my "Fox on the Run" public-access television interviews. After all, a man who had done so much, been so active in the community, and who was a three-time cancer survivor would have many stories to tell. I knew it would be an easy interview for me, and I knew that the community would enjoy hearing his tales.
So, on May 22, along with my videographer Mark Tiffer, I interviewed Gene. The hour flew by as Gene recalled growing up in Plattsburgh, and leaving St. John's Academy to join the military, and working in the family shoe repair business, and venturing into politics, and raising a family, remembering each event as though it had happened just yesterday.
Gene kidded me before, during and after our interview. It was truly fun interviewing him because I could tell he was enjoying every minute of it.
On July 22, exactly two months after our memorable talk, Gene died. As my niece Jessie read at the funeral service today, "There is an appointed time for everything ...."
No one will ever doubt that Gene lived a full life. He never wasted a single day. And is there one of us who will ever forget his memorable line: "Not bad for an old fellow who's retired and on a fixed income!"?
Gene Pavone is quite a guy!
Comments
Hey man,
just wanted to check in & say I am a relation to the Pavones. I've been stuck down here in the Boston, MA area, far away from Arnie's amazing pizza sauce & Mike & Barb Pavone's side of the family. They are the only family that has come close to Travaline sauce. I have recently lost touch with Mike & Barb & was hoping you might have a suggestion. I wouldn't mind meeting them at Arnie's in Plattsburgh for dinner some time if indeed Arnie's still exists...(it had better or there'll be big big trouble!!) Thanks for your attention!
Matt Travaline
(Foxy's note: Matt, there is indeed still an Arnie's Restaurant and Arnie shows up everyday for work! The phone book lists a Mike Pavone, so contact me, if you want, and I'll give you more info -- foxman@westelcom.com)
Posted by: Matt Travaline | September 19, 2007 9:15 PM
Hey Foxy,
Good recall on Geno. I was very fortunate to have been partially adopted by the Pavone family for about 3 years. Steve and I were best friends and with one Pavone you got them all. A truly special family led by the patriarch, Geno. As you mentioned he was always busting chops but always in a kind manner. He was generous to a fault and his blunt honesty sometimes was his biggest weakness in politics. He was always fun to be around and was perpetual motion. To his family, they know how much he loved each and every one of them.
As for Swiney, I mean Miney, the Fox Hill boys carried the City DPW. You Preppies were always getting ready for the Y dances on Friday so you couldn't get your pedicures messed up.
Bullet
Posted by: Bullet | July 30, 2007 9:53 AM
nice article as always,,,,
Posted by: carpydog | July 28, 2007 2:05 AM
You hit that right on the head. Even as a small child he had a quick smile and friendly joke for me every time I went into Pavone's Shoe Hospital. I went to school with his sons Galen & Steve and know from their character the superior man that he was. And ask Bullet how hard it was to keep on your feet when Galen & Mike LaMere got their joke skits grooving that summer we worked for Chris Repas @ the City DPW. Oh yeah, that's right - I forgot - Bullet didn't do any work that summer.
Posted by: Miney Rowlson | July 27, 2007 7:03 AM