Eugene "Gene" Grady

Eugene V. Grady, age 80 OF Spring Hill passed away December 5, 2024 at Tampa General Hospital North in Spring Hill. He was born in Philadelphia Pennsylvania and was predeceased by his only son Andrew Grady.
Survived by his wife Peggy, his daughter Debbie Sensmeier, grandchildren Kyle, Kearson, Kali, Kennedy, Kage Petruzzi, Kolsen Sensmeier, his daughter-in-law Michelle Grady and granddaughter Alexis Grady.
Friends will be received Thursday December 12 10am-11am at the Chapel of Brewers and Sons Funeral Home-Seven Hills. Church services will be held at St. Francis Cabrini at 11am December 12. Gene will be laid to rest at The Brooksville Cemetery in Brooksville, Florida.
Gene has been a long time resident of Hernando County. When he moved from Philadelphia, he was employed by Lykes Memorial Hospital in the maintenance department. After several years, he started his own business Grady Air-Conditioning. He was so honest his customers would tell him "I'm not going to be there when you come to service the air but I will leave the key under the door mat. I first saw Gene at a Bachelor Auction benefitting the American Heart Association. My sister was single and at the time I was dating someone. So when I saw Gene, I thought...what a "good Catch" he was for someone. I grabbed her auction paddle and began to bid on him. I won and they had their date together. Fortunately for me, he was too "Exact" for her and she was a smoker which was a deal breaker for him. Back then, I was a bit of a free spirit. My girlfriend and I decided to make plans to go out for a few drinks. While I was getting ready for the evening she called me with a change of plans. "How about going to a singles group meeting? They do all kinds of fun activities, going to shows, bowling and day trips" she said. I wasn't thrilled about the idea. I would have preferred the drinks, but reluctantly I agreed. Then I found out this
singles group meeting was at a church (St Andrews Church). Oh no, I thought.....I fallen to the depths of desperation. We went and that night I saw Gene again and on May 15th 1998, we were married at St. Frances Cabrini Church. This religious, soft-spoken, serious, dependable, no swear language ever man completely changed my life. It was the best choice I could have ever made in finding a partner.
Through the years there were good times and difficult times. The most difficult being the death of his son Andy. He never lost his faith, but loosing a child is probably the most difficult thing a parent can experience. The good times included the many cruises we took. Gene never said "No" to any of my crazy ideas on excursions. We were always the oldest people on these excursions because I picked things like cave tubing, zip lining, white water rafting...anything that gave an adrenalin rush. He always indulged me by going along with the plans. He never said "No Peggy we can't do that."
However he did teach me one bad habit. Gene loved to do scratch-off lotto tickets, Fantasy 5 and especially Texas Hold Em Poker. Of course, I had to amuse myself and I developed a fondness for the slot machines. Unfortunately, I did not have the self control that Gene had, but I was always luckier than he was. Gene's death was unexpected...well I should say at our age nothing should be taken for granted and each day is a gift from God, but it was an out-patient procedure that had unintended consequences.
As he was dying, I held his hand and whispered for him to go with Andy and that I would be okay. I told him on his way up there to stop at Rainbow Bridge to see our little black schnauzer, Apollo.
I told him that someday I would see him again. his head and Gene was gone.
The nurse came in the room...nodded his head and gene was gone.. I hope I was as good a wife to Gene as he was a good husband to me. I should have told him more that I loved him and that he was a great man. I just thought we had more time. I regret spending too many hours at work or doing to many mundane household chores. Things that weren't as important. I should have spent more time looking into his eyes, smiling at him, holding his hand and being held in
his strong comforting arms.......more time saying I love you. If only....if only.....If only I had one more day.