Eugene G. Pardini

Eugene Pardini (Gino), age 96, passed quietly among friends and family in his Holtwood, PA home on March 19th, 2025. Gino is pre-deceased by his sister, Rosetta Enslein, and brother, Rene Pardini, and survived by his wife of 72 years, Arlene, his sister, Anita Bartelucci, and numerous nieces and nephews.
An Air Force veteran of the Korean War, Gino's passions included the NY Yankees, of which he had an invitation to a tryout while attending Newton High School in Elmhurst, NY. Due to a severe case of Influenza, he missed the tryout but continued to star in local "sandlot games" as a catcher.
Street life in Elmhurst, NY in 1946 could be rough and to keep him safe and off the streets, his father Dino banished him to the roof tops of his apartment building where he discovered another passion, the world of roof top pigeon breeding.
Upon his return from Korea, he and Arlene married in 1953 and eventually moved to Bethpage, New York. Working in the sheet metal trade in the Metro New York area, Gino was an active member of the United Sheet Metal Workers Union, New York Local 28, and rose to the position of Shop Steward. A lifelong Democrat and Union supporter, he may best be known in his trade as a mentor to young Journeymen ("tin knockers"), many of whom came to admire Gino's skill, work ethic and, most of all, friendship and support.
Gene and Arlene finally retired to Holtwood, PA, all the while breeding competitive show pigeons. After years of breeding and cross breeding, Gino became a leading national breeder of English Tumblers, winning regional and national show awards, contributing numerous articles to "Pigeon Debut", the leading Show Pigeon's journal of its time.
Gene will be remembered by all who knew him for his wonderful sense of humor, his love of life and, most of all, for the love of his life, his wife of 72 years, Arlene.
Services and interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Gene's memory to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284-0692 (please mention "In Memory of Eugene Pardini" on the memo line), or donate online at https://www.heart.org.
To leave an online condolence, please visit www.dewalds.com.