Eugene “Gene” Rasori Jr., of Milton, GA, formerly of Plymouth, passed away peacefully on Jan. 9. He will be laid to rest with his beloved wife of 63 years, Pauline Louise Rasori, who passed on Nov. 13, 2022.
He was 88 years old.
In 1954, Gene enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was deployed to the Persian Gulf for multiple tours, serving aboard the USS Valcour (AGF-1) and the USS Daly (DD-519) as an Engineman Second Class until his honorable discharge in 1958.
Following his military service, he began his career as a firefighter with the Plymouth Fire Department in 1958. After 15 years as a firefighter, he progressed steadily through the leadership ranks – lieutenant, captain, and deputy chief – culminating in his service as fire chief from 1984 until his retirement in 1990.
An avid outdoorsman, Gene enjoyed many hunting and fishing trips to Martha’s Vineyard and Maine with his lifelong friends, undoubtedly sharing many stories about the one that got away. Gene was a principled yet light-hearted man who always went out of his way to add levity to any situation. In a newspaper article published upon his retirement from firefighting, a Plymouth selectman suggested his experience would be ideal for a volunteer committee, and Rasori quipped, “If you set up a hunting or fishing camp, I’d be glad to volunteer.”
A few years after retirement, he and his wife Pauline moved to Milton, GA, where they enjoyed decades of family love and connection with their children and grandchildren.
In addition to his wife, Gene was preceded in death by his mother, Jennie Whitten, his brother, Richard Detrani, and his grandson, Jared Allan.
He is survived by two children: Paul Rasori of Alpharetta, GA, and Linda Allan of Roswell, GA; his daughter-in-law, Leah Rasori; grandchildren Emily and Antonio Sierraalta of West Palm Beach, FL; Kimberly Rasori of Seattle, WA; Michael Rasori of Dallas, TX; David Allan of Roswell, GA; Jakob Roscoe of Los Angeles, CA; and Sofia Roscoe of Alpharetta, GA; and great-grandchildren John Paul Sierraalta and Leo Miguel Sierraalta of West Palm Beach, FL; as well as several cousins, nieces, and nephews.
A visitation will be held for Gene and Pauline on Sunday, Feb. 8, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Cartmell-Davis Life Celebration Funeral Home 373 Court St., Plymouth. Graveside services will take place at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 9. For those wishing to honor Gene and Pauline’s legacy through donations, please consider the Alzheimer’s Association or the American Cancer Society.