Gene Girard, age 76, of Tok, Alaska and Rocky Point, N.C., died on Tuesday, March 27, 2018.
Gene was born March 13, 1942, in Maimonides Hospital in Liberty to the late William Casper Girard and Florence Elizabeth Inderlied. He was also preceded in death by brother Terry William Girard and his wife Amy and a sister, Mary Elizabeth Scullion and her husband Arthur.
Gene is survived by a sister, Diane Hess of North Branch, and his first wife, Gale Myers of Broomfield, Colo. Together they had three children: Michele Hallenbeck and husband Josh of Broomfield, Colo. and their four children Matthew, Ana, Emily and Andrew; daughter Kelly and husband Craig Moravy of Aurora, Colo. and their three children Cylina, Garrin and Brodrick; and son Andrew Girard and wife Lynn of Wellford, S.C.; his present wife of 26 years, Bernadette Watson Kirchner Girard and Gene’s two stepdaughters Karrie Kirchner Jara of Roscoe and her son Troy Kirchner and wife Brittany of Manlius; second stepdaughter Kristie Kirchner Gerber and her husband Howard of Oldsmar, Fla., their daughter Hannah and son Drew. Gene also has three nieces and four nephews, and a good hunting and fishing partner, Troy Robinson of Tok, Alaska.
Gene graduated from Westwood High School in Westwood, N.J. in 1960 and attended Newark College of Engineering, now called New Jersey Institute of Technology. He graduated in 1964 with a BS in Chemical Engineering. Gene then enlisted in the Army, attended Army Intelligence School, and was an investigator in Washington, D.C. He was reassigned as Special Agent in charge of Army Intelligence, at Ven Long Providence, Republic of Vietnam. While in Vietnam he was appointed Permanent Grade Sergeant. When Gene returned from the service he worked with his Uncle Val Ernst and did carpentry on the side while earning his teaching certificate. He then taught second year building trades students at Orange Ulster BOCES in Goshen, where he met his wife Bernadette who was a teacher of Cosmetology. While still teaching, they shared a love for traveling. They fell in love with North Carolina and Gene built their first house in Rocky Point, N.C. Upon early retirement they continued traveling and found a new exploration location: Alaska. For a summer they hosted a campground for the state of Alaska in Tok, and made new friends. Three years later Gene built their second house in Alaska. They shared a passion for learning about and collecting cobalt glass including vases, candlesticks, place settings and more. Gene and Bernadette co-authored a book with Tom Felt called “The Encyclopedia of Cobalt Glass” which was published by Collector Books in 2009.
Gene was active member of the Masonic Lodge #521 of Callicoon, Liberty, and the rifle and pistol club in Youngsville. He was a cardholding member of the National Rifle Association of America. In 1978, Gene was the Master of Masonic Lodge #521. Those that love and spent time with Gene know he enjoyed hunting, fishing, sailing, skiing, reading books, building and auto mechanics.
Gene never sat idle. He was a man always involved in a project or enjoying one of his recreational loves. Gene will certainly be missed by family and friends both near and far. We will all keep his memory active by recalling the wonderful times spent with an exceptional man.
Memorials may be made to Lower Cape Fear Hospice, 1414 Physicians Dr., Wilmington, NC 28401. Services will be held at a later date. Condolences to the family at www.andrewsmortuary.com.
