Gene A. Fodge

July 9, 1931 - Oct 27, 2010
SOUTH BEND - Gene A. Fodge, 79, of South Bend, passed away Wednesday, October 27, 2010, in Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Mishawaka. He was born July 9, 1931, in South Bend, to the late Francis and Ellen (Speicher) Fodge. Gene "Pops" Fodge was a 1950 graduate of Central High School, lettering in baseball, basketball and tennis. It was there that he met the love of his life, Eileen Major. Gene and Eileen were married in 1951 and that same year Gene signed to play professional baseball with the Chicago Cubs organization. He spent the next two years in the Marine Corps, where he played baseball, basketball and was the quarterback for the El Toro football team. After the Marines, Gene returned to the Cubs and was assigned to Des Moines, IA, in the Western League. After two years Gene moved to California to play for the Los Angeles Angels, where they won the Pennant. Gene went on to play in Memphis and Portland and in Ft. Worth, Texas, he earned his second Pennant Championship. In April 1958 he made his debut with the Chicago Cubs, and hurled a one-hitter against the LA Dodgers. After Gene's baseball career, he returned to South Bend to raise his family. Gene's later years were spent going from one baseball park to the next, watching his grandkids play ball - "Pops" was a huge fan of the "Cubs," but a bigger fan of his grandkids - he would rush Eileen - "Hurry up or we'll miss the first pitch!" Although Pops never got to see the Cubbies win the World Series-he did get to experience two grandkids make it there! To quote a very special person, there are three things to live by "God, family and basebal.l" GO CUBBIES! Along with his wife of 59 years, he is survived by three daughters, Scharm Young, Laurie Szucs and Stacy (Amir) Ragab; a son, Curtis Fodge, all of South Bend; 10 grandchildren, Rachael (Pat) Radtke, Michael, Scott, Jimmy and Michelle Szucs, Kirk (Courtney), Colin, Koryn Ullery, Jaden Ragab and Bridget Roger; three great-grandchildren, Ethan and Ryan Radtke, and Liam Ullery; and by a cousin (whom he considered his sister), Gloria Cudney of South Bend. He was preceded in death by a sister, Marilyn Wolf. Mr. Fodge worked for the University of Notre Dame Morris Inn, retiring in 1996. A memorial visitation will be held from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, November 1, 2010, in the Kaniewski Funeral Home, 3545 N. Bendix Drive, South Bend. Services will conclude at 6:30 p.m. in the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Eastside Little League, 3450 Keller St., South Bend, IN 46635. To send online condolences, please visit www.kaniewski.com.