Eugene L. Mackie Jr.

BEDFORD - Eugene L. Mackie Jr., 73 of Bedford and Bradenton, Fla., died after a brief illness on June 4, 2015, in Bradenton, Fla.

Gene was born in Lowell, Mass., on Oct. 6, 1941. He was the son of Janette (Delisle) and Eugene Mackie Sr. He was married for 51 years to Barbara (Peterson) Mackie and the father of two sons, Kenneth E. Mackie of Amherst and Christopher J. Mackie of Simi Valley, Calif. He resided in Bedford during his childhood years, attending St. Raphael School and Bishop Bradley High School in Manchester. He graduated magna cum laude from Boston College with a degree in business management.

It was at Boston College that his interest in music manifested through his work as a disc jockey at the college radio station and later in California where he enjoyed performing DJ services for weddings and other festivities. He used the name of "Music on a Platter." As a systems analyst/administrative manager, his career path took him from the insurance industry to his dream job at ABC Records in Manhattan, N.Y., followed by a move to Los Angeles. He subsequently worked at Casablanca Records, also in L.A. He was a lifelong member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. His administrative abilities brought him to a new field in the Home Savings Bank and Great Western Bank in Los Angeles.

He returned to Manchester to care for his ailing mother. He joined Louis Craig in the field of private investigators at Craig Associates for two years. He was drawn to a management position at the Manchester City Welfare Department with the purpose of giving back to the community. He was steward of Teamsters Local 633. During his 12-year tenure at the Welfare Department, he was project coordinator for the Bob Powers' Memorial Pantry. He was chairman of the Manchester Quality Council which featured such activities as the annual employee barbecue; he instituted the Bright Ideas program and wrote articles in the "City Matters" newsletters. He retired from Manchester City Welfare in 2011.

Gene was a board member of Manchester Community Access Media and Bedford Community Television. He assisted in several aldermanic political campaigns. He took part in fundraisers for American Legion, Sweeney Post 2. He wrote and assembled the Manchester Veterans Council Program Book for the Manchester Veterans' Day Parade and Ceremony for several years.

He belonged to the Knights of Columbus for 45 years. There were many St. Patrick's Day parades that he helped coordinate. In addition, he was master of ceremonies at Veterans Day and Memorial Day observances.

He was also the director of publicity for Manchester World War II Memorial Committee. As part of his contributions to this fundraising effort he wrote feature columns about lives and events of the War for the New Hampshire Union Leader. He garnered the information from historical records and interviews with veterans and/or family members. His efforts were acknowledged by the Marine Corps League, which awarded him with an honorary membership.

Spending his winters in Florida, he joined the Loyal Order of Moose in Anna Maria Island, Fla. He served as an officer and was part of the ritual team in 2014 for The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge 1511, in Bradenton, Fla. In Bradenton he enjoyed volunteering at the Elks food pantry and the Paws Attic Thrift Shop, benefitting rescued animals. Reading, photography, old postcards and crossword puzzles were other interests.

Those who knew Gene well admired his knowledge of music history, the artists, the lyrics and trivia. Truly, music filled his life. He will be remembered as a loving husband and father.

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SERVICES: A Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Raphael Church, 103 Walker St., Manchester, on Saturday, July 18, at 10 a.m.

Donations in his memory can be made to Liberty House at 75 West Baker St., Manchester, NH 03103.