Eugene Thomas Connolly, Jr.

My daughter truly enjoyed and appreciated her relationship with Eugene : she graduated from Yale in 2019: He was a delight to her and she loved his stories! The father of Constance Thurmond : James Thurmond

My husband Leo and I loved being with Gene. We happened to have the same night´s tickets at Yale Rep. We sometimes walked him home part way. I saw him at various hockey games and we had great hockey chats. We are a big hockey family so it was fun to hear his tails about his hockey days. Most of all we saw him regularly at ST. Thomas More, the Yale Catholic Chapel where he was a faithful member of our church community. He and I were good friends and when I was the organizer of the brunch time after Mass, he was a faithful participant and helper. I miss him much. A wonderful man!

No one ever loved life more than the Gene I knew at Exeter (1945-49), and in many emails of recent vintage. Never flagging in commitments, Gene cast the essential vote in electing our new 1949 class president, barely a month before his own passing! What a rare individual, uplifting both sailboats and our spirits! simultaneously!

Gene and I met in summer of 1945 before we matriculated at Exeter and remained friends, bonding through sailing, over the rest of his life. A good man of character and warmth.

I always so enjoyed our spirited conversations during family gatherings. My sincere condolences to all of Genes family

We got to know Gene and Virginia through the Redding Pony Club where our daughters were active participants. Visiting the Connollys was like stepping back to the old world, to Ireland itself. The timbered and stucco house, the furnishings, old country windows, a day-long fire lingering in the fireplace and the view out the window was pastoral. Gene always had a ready smile, a genial wit, crooked grin and twinkle in his eye. He was a treasure.

We knew Gene from St Thomas More. Quite the character! So glad our paths crossed. He was a treasure.

What a beautiful obituary, an extraordinary life and a wonderful father. Love and condolences to the Connelly family.

Gene, my neighbor, greeted everyone with a smile and a wish for a happy

day. Dear friend you will be missed. Mary McInerney

Everytime we met Gene would check in on the family, share a story, a smile, and I would walk away remembering you ALL, ponies, Virginia, geese,Nicolas's cow, spinning wool, the beautiful home on Meeker Hill, the english country vista in the back. The tweed blazer and ascot wearing, sharp mind, sparkle-eyed true gentleman I will always remember Stephanie Hamilton Gregory