Eugene Michael Ferriter, age 57, of Loudon, TN and formerly of Elgin, IL, passed away on October 14, 2024. He was born September 29, 1967 in Bronx, NY to his loving parents, Pierce and Beatrice (née Brady) Ferriter.

Gene graduated from Bergenfield High School in Bergenfield, NJ, Class of 1985. He then entered the United States Air Force in June, 1986, and served for four years before being honorably discharged in June, 1990. He was a member of the Illinois National Guard from December, 1991 to August, 1999, then of the Wisconsin National Guard from August, 1999 to August, 2008. During that time, he participated in Operation Joint Forge from January to March, 2006, and Operation Enduring Freedom from December, 2006 to January, 2007.

Gene earned his Bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University in 1998, and his Masters of Business Administration from Keller Graduate School of Management in 2005. He worked for the US Post Office, as well as other jobs, while finishing his degree at Northern Illinois University. After graduating, he held various roles in Financial Services with several companies via acquisitions, including Transamerica, Aegon, General Electric, and Wells Fargo.  He retired in April, 2019, and moved to Tennessee later that year.

Gene met and became friends with Kim Smith at work, and they began dating in 2001. They were married on July 13, 2012.

Gene had a wicked sense of humor and a generous heart. While hardworking, he believed in working to live, not living to work. He adored his wife, children, and grandchildren, and loved spending time with them.

Gene was enormously proud to be first generation Irish. He would talk about Ireland and his parents to anyone who was willing to listen, including complete strangers sometimes.  He was also extremely proud of his military service, and he would go out of his way to thank other veterans for their service when he encountered them. He was financially savvy, inheriting a strong interest in investing from his father. He used his financial knowledge to successfully obtain and manage a number of rental properties.

Gene enjoyed both watching and playing sports, and traveling.  Golf was his game for quite awhile, playing often, until he discovered pickleball. He became obsessed with pickleball and would play anytime he had the opportunity. Music was also a huge part of his life. He was an avid fan of several Irish musicians, and of Bruce Springsteen, whom he saw live over 25 times. He would jump at any chance to see live music, and would often fall asleep while listening to music on his phone.

Gene made new friends easily, but his closest friends remained those he made in grade school, high school, and in the military. Those friendships continued throughout his life, with visits from many of those friends near the end of his life.  He vacationed with high school friends every summer for over 10 years.  And when his military friends learned of his illness, they traveled to Tennessee for a reunion over Labor Day weekend in 2023.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, and various uncles and aunts. He is survived by his wife, Kim Smith Ferriter; children, Cassandra (Chris) DeGroff, Andrew Ferriter, Shannon Ferriter, and Brady Ferriter; siblings, Kathleen (Ray) Ferriter Allen and Brendan Ferriter; grandchildren, Arianna Royal, Ethan Raines, and Oliver DeGroff; aunts, Breda (Sean) Bowler and Theresa (Tom) Healy; nieces, Kiera Allen, Cailin Allen, and Tricia Allen; and many cousins.

Visitation will be 5:00pm to 9:00pm, Thursday, November 7, 2024, at Symonds-Madison Funeral Home, 305 Park Street, Elgin, IL 60120.

Mass will be at 11:00am, Friday, November 8, 2024 at St. Mary Church of Elgin, 400 Fulton Street, Elgin, IL 60120.  Rev. Bruce Ludeke will be officiating.

Interment with military honors will follow at 2:30 pm at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, 20953 W. Hoff Road, Elwood, IL 60421.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Gene’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association or the Wounded Warrior Project.

Final arrangements entrusted to Symonds-Madison Funeral Home. For more information, call 847-741-1128.