Gene A. Wakefield

Gene Allen Wakefield - [9/20/41 – 7/28/20]

Gene Wakefield was born in Newark, NJ on September 20, 1941 (to mother and father Walter Allen Wakefield and Jeanne Gutman Moisant Wakefield). The family lived in Saint Albans (Queens), New York until Gene turned 11, at which time the family moved to North Miami Beach, Florida. He attended 6th grade at Fulford Elementary, while his junior high and senior high school years were spent at North Miami Junior/Senior High, graduating in 1959. After high school Gene went on to graduate with a B.S. Degree in psychology from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. In college he ‘lettered’ in baseball where he both pitched and played outfield for the team. After college Gene joined Chase Federal Savings and Loan Association as their manager trainee, rising in their ranks to eventually take on the job of Vice President of the S&L’s Loan Servicing Division. During his banking years he also went on to earn a Master’s Degree in English from Barry College, joined the Miami chapter of the Rotary Club (eventually becoming  the club’s president), and as a result of his love for jazz became the radio announcer for Miami’s jazz radio station, featuring his weekly radio program, “Gene on Jazz.”  

Surprising to many (but certainly not to his semi-professional dancer and mother, Jeanne), in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s Gene proved to be a  skilled ballroom dance instructor and  moonlighted as an instructor with Arthur Murray studios and others in the Miami area … that is until the bank became aware of his nighttime exploits  and informed him that a bank VP and ballroom dance instructor would  not go hand-in-hand --- as a result, Gene reluctantly retired his dancing shoes for a new Zegna three piece suit instead. His lifetime dry sense of humor, tinged with an often accompanying sly sarcastic twist, was more than evident during this period, for sure.

Besides his fondness for sports and jazz, Gene was also an avid art enthusiast and collector. Over his lifetime, and in addition to his beloved modern art collection, he became a well known private collector of fine art from the Barbizon School era, encompassing artworks created from the 1830’s through the 1870’s. His charitable donations of these and other artworks to museums are notable and his additional efforts in art auctioneering for fund raising events on behalf of churches, synagogues, schools and charities proved very successful in raising needed funds for these charitable organizations.

In mid-life, after the Savings & Loan meltdown wherein the industry virtually disappeared from the financial scene, Gene went on to become a successful and sought after paralegal working with many well known Miami law firms and thereafter freelancing prior to his retirement. His attention later turned to and was largely focused upon religious interests wherein he both tithed and donated time and talent to his churches of choice. In his spare time he devoured all there was of sports, especially enjoying college and professional football, baseball and basketball as each season rolled around.

Gene’s only offspring, son Christopher Scott Wakefield (1971-2020), preceded him in death only a few months prior to his own so Gene is survived directly only by his brother, Stanley, but also with  many loved nieces and nephews who he constantly  and lovingly discussed and fondly remembered through to his demise.

In the big picture, Gene was a loving, productive, funny, honest, hardworking and model citizen of both his country and of the world. If there were simply more people who exhibited these characteristics and traits humankind would be better off. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him and he shall live forever in those peoples’ hearts.

The family of Mr. Wakefield entrusted the arrangements to Clymer Funeral Home & Cremations.