Obituary of Eugene Theodore Widican

EUGENE WIDICAN, 80, PASSED AWAY FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2010 AT THE CLEVELAND CLINIC. EUGENE WIDICAN WAS BORN OCT 14 1929 TO DAN & EVE WIDICAN, PEASANT PEOPLE FROM THE COUNTRY IN BIHOR ROMANIA. EUGENE WAS THE ONLY CHILDOF DAN AND EVA WIDICAN. EUGENE ATTENDED MILLER SCHOOL AND THENWENT ON TO GARFIELD HIGH. AFTER HIGH SCHOOL HE WANTED TO BE ANARCHITECT AND WENT ON TO KENT TAKING THE ONLY TWO YEAR COURSETHEY HAD AT THE TIME. EUGENE ALSO WORKED AT THE ASLSCO PLANT ON SFORGE ST. GENE SAWTHINGS GOING DOWNHILL & FINALLY GOT A JOB AT FIRESTONE TIRE 8-13-51 HESTARTED OUT IN THE RUBBER SHOP & THEN ENDED UP DOING DEFENSE WORK AT FIRESTONE RUNNING LATHES VTL'S AND ALSO WELDING THE J-57 ENGINESTHAT WERE PRODUCED AT FIRESTONE. AFTER THIS GENE WENT INTO RUBBERSHOP DESIGNING THE TREADS THAT GO ONTO THE TIRES. HE DID THE FIRST RADIAL TREADS AND ALSO WORKED ON THE INDIANAPOLIS RACING TIRES. GENE ALSO HAD A STINT WORKING ON THE RIM LINE AND ON THE PUNCH PRESSES PUNCHING OUT CAR PARTS FOR FORD MOTOR CO. IN 1971 GENE BECAME PRESIDENT OF HIS CHURCH BOARD. THE PLANS WHERE MADE FOR THE NEW CHURCH THAT CAME IN WAY OVER BUDGET. THE ARCHITECT WAS FIRED AND THEY HIRED DAVE WYKOFF. THE BIDS CAME IN AT THE RIGHT PRICE, BUT THE BANK WE DEALT WITH FOR FIFTY YEARS WOULD NOT LEND US THE MONEY. WE WENT TO A BANK THAT KNEW US NOT BUT LENT US $225,000.00. WE STARTED OUR FISH DINNERS AND OUR CATERING SERVICE,AND PAYED OFF THE CHURCH & OTHER NEW BUILDINGS TO THE TUNE OF $440,000.00 IN FOUR YEARS. EUGENE HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE OF BEING COUNCIL PRESIDENT 15 YEARS LONGER THAN ANY OTHER PRESIDENT. EUGENE LEAVES BEHIND HIS LOVELY WIFE TILLIE WITH HIM OVER 50 YEARS. HE ALSO LEAVES HIS DAUGHTER DIANA & GRANDCHILDREN LIA AND C.J. PALADINO,& ALEXANDRA PALADINO. GENE ALSO LEAVES HIS SON GARY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW LISA AND LOVING GRANDCHILDREN ASHLEY & RYAN WIDICAN. GENE ALSO HAD A LOVING SON GENE (GENO) WHO DIED IN 1987 AND IS DEEPLY MISSED. GENE ALSO LEAVES BEHIND COUSINS BOB NEGRUE AND FAMILY AND ALSO BILL WIDICAN ANDFAMILY IN FLORIDA. AFTER RETIRING FROM FIRESTONE JAN 11982 EUGENE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING FOR THE OHIO DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR 12 YEARS AND TWO MONTHS AS A PROJECT INSPECTOR AND RETIRING 10-30-95 FUNERAL SERVICES WILL BE HELD WEDNESDAY 10:00AM AT PRESENTATION OF OUR LORD ROMANIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH WHERE THE BODY WILL LIE IN STATE ONE HOUR PRIOR TO SERVICES. VERY REV. DR. IAN G. PAC-URAR OFFICIATING. INTERMENT ROSE HILL BURIAL PARK. THE FAMILY WILL RECEIVE FRIENDS TUESDAY 5 TO 8 PM AT THE CHURCH WHERE A SARACUSTA SERVICE WILL BE HELD TUESDAY 7:30PM. IN LIEU OF FLOWERS DONATIONS MAY BE MADE TO THE PRESENTATION OF OUR LORD CHURCH, 3385 RIDGEWOOD RD. FAIRLAWN, OHIO 44333. (ANTHONY FUNERAL HOMES, 330-724-1281, WWW.ANTHONYFH.COM)