Gene Ravally

1938 - 2016

Gene Ravally

Gene Arthur Ravally was born on December 14, 1938 to Katherine Faber Ravally and Arthur Ravally. Gene's beloved mother passed when he was still an infant, and the first years of his life were spent on his grandparents' farm being cared for by his two devoted aunts, Lousie Faber Smith and Carolyn Faber Olbis. He spent his childhood and teenage years having many adventures with his lifelong best buddy and uncle, Robert Faber. When he met and married Lucy DeGrande Ravally. He found a second family to love and care for him. His father-in-law, John DeGrande, taught him carpentry, and Gene became a member of United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners Local 2250. He was a Field Supervisor and Project Manager building many banks, libraries, schools and hospitals in the area throughout his long career. Lucy's mother, Concetta Bromonte DeGrande, became the mother he never knew as a child, and Gene became a mentor to Lucy's sister, Palma. Gene had the honor of giving Palma away in marriage to his new brother-in-law, Leon Davidson. Leon became a good friend and confidante, "Duke" to Gene's "Ace".

Gene and Lucy built one of the first houses in Ardmore Estates in Howell and raised two children, Pamela Ravally Danner and John Arthur Ravally. He was particularly proud that both of his children attended college and graduate school, and would talk for hours about their accomplishments. He first welcomed Pam's husband, Jim Danner, into the family. Jim became his frequent fishing companion. Shortly after Maryann Meehan Ravally, became a second daughter to him. But truly his two granddaughters, Juliana and Marielle, where the apples of his eye. He attended every play and every sporting event, and was a frequent visitor to Penn State University where both girls attended college. The highlight of his life was when he retired and sold his house in Ardmore Estates. He and Lucy moved to Point Pleasant where he would spend his days peddling his bike around, making friends and telling stories. When Hurricane Sandy struck, Gene spent much of the last four years of his life restoring the house that he shared with Lucy, Pam and Jim, He picked up a hammer and banged through the aches and pains of older age to make things right again for his family. On September 20th Gene passed after a brief and painful bout with cancer. The house is restored and life will go on, but somehow things will never be quite "right". We will be missing a key part of our heart. Rest in Peace Gene Arthur Ravally.

Visitation will be held at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township on Friday, September 23, 2016 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM. Relatives and friends are invited to attend his 9:00 am Funeral Mass on Saturday, September 24, 2016 at St. Martha's Catholic Church, 3800 Herbertsville Road, Point Pleasant, NJ 08742. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Gene's memory may be made to Four Diamonds at Penn State Children's Hospital, 90 Hope Drive, A120, PO Box 852, Hershey, PA 17033. For information, directions or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com