Kenilworth’s Oldest Boy Eugene Coppola Passes at 100

KENILWORTH’S OLDEST BOY SUCCUMBS AT AGE 100

Eugene Coppola oldest native son remembered

Kenilworth icon Eugene Victor Coppola passed away quietly at home of natural causes on Friday, December 19, 2020. Born at home at 21 N. 20^th St. on March 3, 1920, he was one of six children of Amedeo and Rosa Coppola who came to Kenilworth about 1912. 

Gene, as he liked to be called, was very proud of being the oldest male resident ever born here to still be living in town. And proud of being among the last of local students who attended Roselle Park High School and to be in the first graduating class in 1938 from the then new Jonathan Dayton Regional High School in Springfield. With enthusiasm he shared stories of growing up in Kenilworth and was eye witness to many historical events taking place here. 

On the occasion of his 100^th birthday last year he recalled, “As a boy I helped my father in his vegetable store on N. 20^th St. It’s Morabito’s Pharmacy now. My father and sister Sally saw John Kennedy come into the store after the war looking for a girl who lived on N. 22^nd St. My father drove a Model T pick-up truck to Newark to get vegetables, sold them from the store, and we delivered them to homes all over. The only paved street in town was the Boulevard. There were practically no houses south of the Boulevard when I grew up. Kenilworth was small; everyone knew everyone else.”

“My father was a fireman. I went with him in a snow storm to the Flats Fire [1927] on Passaic Ave. The fire hydrant was frozen; the building burned to the ground. I went to the site of Jimmy Doolittle’s plane when [1929] it crashed on Faitoute Ave. There was a big crowd at the scene. It wasn’t much of a secret during Prohibition where speakeasies could be found in town. During the Depression marathon dances were held in the fields on Galloping Hill Road. Boys picked water lilies to sell from Jackson Pond that was behind Harding School. It was the Depression and making a few dollars here and there for your family was important.”

“Kenilworth was a big baseball town. One of the ballfields was where the Methodist Church is on the Boulevard. Small planes used to land there and later the airfield was moved up to where the Kenilworth Diner is today.”

“I saw the Ku Klux Klan march up to the old Upsala College campus. I worked at the Kensington Riding Stables where the Wells Fargo Bank is, and also at Neville’s Stables off the Boulevard near N. 9^th St. Polo matches, rodeos, and air shows drew thousands of spectators. The shoot-out at the old borough hall in 1940 caused a tremendous stir in town. When I first saw my future wife, Evelyn, I knew I wanted to marry her. We married during the war in 1943 and have a beautiful daughter, also named Evelyn.  I am a very lucky man.”  

Gene, a WWII US Army veteran, was honorably discharged as a private first class. He served on the planning board, rescue squad, as president of the fire department, as president of the Homeowners’ Association, as secretary of the Married and Singles Club, and member of VFW Post 2230. After many years of working at local factories, Gene established in the 1960s his own lunch truck catering business which was well known throughout the Kenilworth region. 

In addition to his daughter, Evelyn, Gene is survived by her husband, Gary Delatush; sisters Sally Brokaw and Doris Picaroni; grandsons Lee, Todd, and Scott; great grandchildren Kaitlyn, Nathan, Greyson, and Griffen; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased in 2020 by his wife of 76 years, Evelyn, and earlier by brothers Vincent and George, and sisters Elmina DeGatano and Lucy Pepe. Funeral arrangements were by the Opacity Funeral home with participation from the VFW, the Fire Department, Rescue Squad, and the Police Department. A funeral Mass, December 30, at St. Theresa’s Church, was officiated by Rev. Giovanni Rizzo, pastor. Burial was at Graceland Memorial Park, Kenilworth.

Article composed by Walter E. Boright, Ed. D., long-time family friend.