Eugene J. McGuinness Jr. (1928 - 2013)
Eugene J. McGuinness, Jr. passed peacefully into His rest on March 8, 2013. Born on February 6, 1928 in the Bronx, to Eugene J. McGuinness and Viola Munson McGuinness, he attended Brown University through the Navy V-5 pilot training program. As World War II was ending, sidelined by a medical condition, he received a get well card from one of his physics classmates, one of two women in the class, Rita Mary Sisson, who also happened to sail. He returned to New York to complete his education at Iona College and St. John's University School of Law. He invited himself back to Providence for a sailboat ride, and they were married on September 8, 1951. They moved from the Bronx to Garnerville in 1956 and to New City in 1982. As Garnerville boomed, so did the need for additional fire protection. He has always remained proud of being a charter member of and his efforts to build the David B. Roche Fire Department in Thiells.
They raised five children and he helped build a successful law practice in White Plains, which continues today as O'Connor, McGuinness, Conte, Doyle, Oleson, Watson and Loftus, LLP. He served as a Village Attorney and Justice in Haverstraw, he was a pre-eminent trial lawyer in the lower Hudson Valley for over 30 years and developed a practice defending physicians, hospitals and healthcare providers in the region. Determined not to "die in a courtroom," he retired in 1989, at the age of 62.
He has returned to his beloved wife of 57 years, Rita, who pre-deceased him in 2008. He is survived by his brothers, Ray and Millie McGuinness of Homosassa, FL; Ed and Cheryl McGuinness of Anacortes,WA; and sister-in-law, Mary "Maize" McGuinness of San Antonio, TX. He was predeceased by his sister, Blanche McGuinness of Miami, FL; and his brother, Bill McGuinness of San Antonio. He is also survived by his sons, Denis and Eva McGuinness of Washingtonville, NY; Tom and Mahani McGuinness of Penngrove, CA; Jim and Tracy McGuinness of Fairfax, VT and daughters, Ann McGuinness of New City, NY and Jeanne Howe of Blooming Grove, New York; grandchildren, Michael and his wife, Erika, Ann, Jennifer and her husband, Jeff Breckelbaum, Heather, Catherine, Maureen, John and James and great-granddaughter, Zoe Rose Van Wart. He has been sustained by the love of Mary Sisson of Golden, CO, John and Donna Sisson of Arvada, CO, Cathy Sisson of Myrtle Beach, SC, Al and Clemmie Sisson of East Greenwich, RI, Robert and Debbie McGuinness of Valley Cottage, NY and Carol Ann Geier of Bainbridge Island, WA, along with many nieces and nephews.
An avid sailor of the "Respite," he met Kathy and Bill Keppler across the dock. When Bill passed in 2009, he found renewed purpose in life through Kathy, who became a source of much joy. He inherited a love of the Adirondacks through his father early in his life. In May, he will rest next to Rita, near his beloved Paradox Lake, to continue his astronomy lessons, under a cloudless Adirondack sky, with a fishing rod near at hand.
Family will receive friends on Wednesday from 6-9pm and Thursday from 2-4 & 7-9pm at Higgins Funeral Home in New City, NY. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, 11am, St. Augustine's Church. Interment will be held at a later date at Severance Cemetery.
Michael J. Higgins Funeral Service Inc.
321 South Main Street
New City, NY 10956
(845) 634-6110
www.mjhigginsnewcity.com 
