Eugene Fahey
Eugene Gerald Fahey, age 82, of St. Louis, Missouri, passed away on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.
Gene was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend. He is survived by his wife and best friend, Nora Fahey, and his children: Bridgette (John) Koeller, Richard (Martille) Elias, Maggie (Matt) Poling, and Libby (Travis) Griffin. He was “Geno” to his twelve beloved grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his former wife Suellyn Fahey, his parents, Lucille and Eugene Fahey, and his sister, Mary Fahey (Dan Vornberg).
He is also survived by his brother, Bill (Juanella) Fahey.
Whether skiing in Vail, playing tennis or ping pong, or spending time with family and friends, Gene had a gift for bringing a smile and good laugh wherever he went. We will miss him dearly!
A visitation will be held on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., followed by a Mass at 11:00 a.m., both at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church, 15642 Clayton Rd, Ellisville, MO 63011.
A Celebration of Gene’s Life will follow at Forest Hills Country Club, 36 Forest Club Drive, Chesterfield, MO 63005.
Nora and Bridgett. I am holding you close in my thoughts as you navigate through this painful time. Gene’s presence will always be felt, and his love will continue to surround you.
Nora and Bridgett. I am holding you close in my thoughts as you navigate through this painful time. Gene’s presence will always be felt, and his love will continue to surround you.
Beautiful Bridgette. He was a great brother in-law, brother, and friend. Mark.
He live life to the fullest. What a life it was.
Geno was my uncle, one of my best friends, a roommate more than once, my therapist, and THE BEST!! I know I have a guardian Angel now.
I adore you, Gene. Thinking of Nora, Bridg, and everyone.
What a dandy Gene was. He lived with passion and curiosity. Hope the ski slopes and tennis courts are lighted up there buddy! R.I.P.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family!
Jim and Kathy Ruggeri
My dear friend Gene was a true treasure! There are many fond memories of playing tennis, ping pong, savoring watermelon, and dining excursions. Most of all, I will miss the laughter and friendship!
Kathy and I are so sorry to hear about Gene a true gentelman
I’m so glad you and Nora found each other. You were the perfect match. I’ll miss our five o’clock dinners. Don’t worry, we’ll take care of Nora. Love you.
Dear Nora, Bridgette, Rich, Maggie, Libby
Please accept our deepest condolences
Gene will always remain in our memories as a fun and full of life guy.
RIP
Tatyana ( Tanya) and Daniella, with love
Nora and Family,
We are so sorry to hear of Gene’s passing. May his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. He’ll be joining your parents for happy hour soon…
Mary Ellen and Glenn.
Dearest Nora
I love you and Gene so much. Gene was the greatest uncle a guy could ask for. He supported me regardless of my mistakes and was my biggest fan during those times. What a beautiful Irishman he was.
Thinking about Gene and our escapades together puts a smile on my face.
I will really miss him at The Monaco! Such a wonderful, fun guy. I still remember a hilarious situation with a cheesecake at Bill’s house during a dinner party. Always happy go lucky. He had a great life, Nora. Fond memories always!
Jean
Uncle Gene was a great boss, uncle, friend and ski partner. He was one of the kindest, gentlest, most patient and most caring persons I ever met. I was so happy when he came into Nora’s life and I cherish the good times we all had over the years. Peace to you Geno, and my deepest condolences to all of those grieving with us. .
Gene, we had a blast at Gary Pitzer’s house doing our accounting problems 1963-64. A highlight of our time at SLU which is locked in my memory. You and Gary would go at it teasing. You would say Pitzer I could eat soup off your head He was about 5’7
Or you would say to me, Dick, take care of my light work!
Nora, I was sad to hear of Gene’s passing. I will always remember his great smile and how much he loved sharing his passion for skiing with everyone. He will be missed. Hugs and prayers to you and your family.
Champagne Geno, had some great one liners. I certainly got to know him so much better when I started working with him such a great person to see everyday for the last 10 years I have been here. He always threw a great Xmas party/Bday party too and will be much missed this Christmas season. Love you Geno.
Back in the ‘90’s we hunted together all over the Midwest….Missouri, Illinois, Kansas and South Dakota…great times and wonderful memories together…it’s now time for Gene to reunite with all of his beloved hunting dogs….
What a privilege to have you as Vail neighbors and friends for over 25 years. Gene…. a true dear gentleman. We loved him; and still do.
To all of the family… our condolences.
THE BIG GUY
My memories of Gene Fahey date back half a century plus 15 years.
In about 1960, Gene, a tall, very clean cut, handsome, Catholic, high school basketball player, came courting my sister, Suellyn, when we all lived in Jennings, Missouri.
Gene was interested in more than one date. He later even came to visit Suellyn when she moved to Memphis. While there, Gene and I were sent out to play golf while Suellyn worked. It was 98 degrees and equal humidity; on the green of the first hole Gene suggested to me, a 17-year-old, that we screw the golf, get a six pack and waste away the afternoon drinking beer under a shade tree. We did, and I gained a friend and a brother-in-substance, if not in law, for the rest of his life. (When he also explained how he had disconnected the speedometer cable of his 1963 (?) Impala so the warranty would not expire during his Memphis trip, I thought “Wow! What a rebel”.)
I knew him when he joined the Marine reserves, presumably like the rest of us, to avoid the draft and Vietnam. But later he admitted: “The Marines taught me I could overcome anything.” He meant it and I respected him for it.
Early on he became a very successful salesman for Xerox. Despite his success there, he went back to school, got his MBA and then quit Xerox to become a stockbroker. Perhaps this was because, as he said his mother always told him, “You always have to be The Big Guy.” (Gene early told me he wanted to be a millionaire by age 30.)
Well, the market tanked pretty much the day he started, and when it remained in the toilet, he went back to sales—this time at IBM. Once again, he was successful, but apparently not enough for “The Big Guy”.
So, Gene continued wheeling and dealing. Somewhere in this period he thought his future might lie in storm windows (samples of which filled his basement), investing in wine, flipping used Volkswagens, or in antique brass doorknobs, a bagful of which he brought to California, sold at San Francisco antique stores, and spent the proceeds on a very fine dinner for all of us. Eventually, he and his partner-to-be, Rick, started their typewriter rental business (in competition with their then-employer, IBM?). It ended up making both of them very big and wealthy men.
With success came, among other things, the beautiful home on the golf course and the Porsche which he often left in the garage in favor of his old VW with the driver’s seat fixed permanently in a fully reclined position and a road-viewing hole in the floorboard. He used it to take Leonore and I for our first fried pickles one wintry night. The snow didn’t come up from floor. It came, nevertheless, full blast into our faces through the air vents.
He was always deeply into something. Over the years, he was a fervent hunter, pet lover (at his most emotional when his cat died), tennis player, bicyclist, flower planter, horseman, skier, ping pong player, and more, good at and devoted intensely to whatever he did.
Along the way, my family and I spent many (in the early years, most) Thanksgivings and Christmases and many, many annual family vacations with Gene. Astoundingly, these continued even after Gene and Suellyn parted ways, and Gene married Nora. After a period of adjustment, Gene and even-more-generous Nora started including Suellyn and her family in their events and travels. The Seng’s-all of us, Grammy, Suellyn, Bridgette, me, Leonore, my son and his wife, and others, continued to be included in Fahey Thanksgivings, Christmases, Gene’s December birthday parties, expense paid trips to Vail*, Naples, and, with us, to Maine.
I always knew in the back of my mind that if I ever really needed anything, I could turn to Gene. I never had to ask**, but I just knew he would not say no.
I’ve never known anyone more giving than Gene and Nora.
So, a toast (beer, cheap Champagne, fine wine, depending on which period of his life is being remembered) to my brother-in-substance, Gene Fahey. My family and I will indeed miss him.
________________
*On our first family visit to Vail back in the late 1970’s, this one on Grammy’s dime, Gene mentioned he’d like to own a place in Vail Village someday. I thought the Big Guy was dreaming too large. He ended up with at least three places in Vail.
***Well, one time I begged him for last minute tickets to the national league playoff game between the Cardinals and the Giants. I don’t know how he got them. I cannot imagine how much they cost him. He never said.
Michael Seng