Eugene Gynther
Pawcatuck — Eugene O. Gynther, 103, of Pawcatuck Avenue, Pawcatuck, passed away peacefully at the Westerly Hospital on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018.
Gene was born in Fitchburg, Mass., the son of the late Daniel and Aino (Blomqvist) Gynther, who had emigrated from Finland a few years earlier. In 1922, when he was 8 years old, following his father’s work as a weaver, he moved with his family to Pawcatuck. He graduated from West Broad Street School in 1929, and Stonington High School in 1933. While in high school, he was noted for his outstanding athletic abilities. Gene lettered multiple years in football, basketball, baseball and track. In his senior year, he was the captain or co-captain of the football, basketball, and baseball teams.
After graduation (in the depths of the Great Depression), he worked several different jobs before enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1936. From 1936 through 1940, he served aboard the USS Quincy (CA39) where he learned and advanced in the machinist mate rating. During this period, the USS Quincy’s operations included evacuating Americans from Spain as the pre-WWII Spanish Civil War heated up, Good Will Cruises along both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of South America, and naval exercises, primarily off the coast of California. During this time period, he was also the reliable centerfielder on the USS Quincy’s baseball team, which earned him All U.S. Navy Baseball Team Honors in 1938.
When he left the Navy in 1940, he landed jobs initially with the Fafnir Bearing Co. in New Britain, and subsequently, closer to Pawcatuck, as a civilian shipboard engineer working aboard the Army Corps of Engineer ferries out of New London. Early in 1942, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he re-enlisted in the U.S. Navy. From June 1942 through September 1945, he served aboard the USS O’Bannon (DD-450), from the time of its commissioning at the Boston Naval Shipyard through all of its WWII operations (mostly in the Pacific) for which it was awarded 17 “Battle Stars.” These “Battle Stars” were the most awarded to any WWII U.S. Navy ship, except the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, which was in the war 10 months longer. As a result of its outstanding WWII record, the USS O’Bannon was given the honor (along with its sister ship USS Nicholas) to lead the U.S. Fleet into Tokyo Bay for the Japanese surrender.
After WWII, Gene was discharged from the Navy (as a chief machinist mate) and returned to civilian life as a machinist for several companies in Connecticut. He eventually retired from Harris Corp. in Pawcatuck at the age of 65.
Gene was a member of the Stonington High Athletic Hall of Fame, the Harris Corp. Quarter Century Club, and a 71-year member of the Pawcatuck VFW. In addition, he was the manager or coach of several Westerly and Pawcatuck Little League baseball teams in the 1950s. In his later years, he became a reliable and knowledgeable “armchair” coach for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics.
Eugene married Janet (Foley) Gynther in Westerly, on Sept. 7, 1946. They were married for 64 years before she passed away in 2010. He leaves his children, James Gynther and his wife Shirley (Blanda) of North Stonington, Anna Greene of Pawcatuck, Kathleen Upchurch and her husband Jeffrey of Stratham, N.H., Karen Thompson and her husband Jeffrey of North Stonington, and Daniel Gynther and his wife Monica (Holtz) of Marlborough. He also leaves 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Gene was predeceased by his two sisters, Irene Gynther and Kaarine Quigley.
Visiting hours will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 10, at Gaffney-Dolan Funeral Home, 59 Spruce St., Westerly. A funeral service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 11, in the funeral home. Burial will follow at River Bend Cemetery with full military honors.
The family requests that any contributions in Eugene’s memory be made to the St. Michael Church Capital Campaign, 60 Liberty St., Pawcatuck, CT 06379. For online condolences please visit www. gaffneydolanfuneralhome.com.