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Obituary for Eugene Lee Alesandrini
Eugene Lee Alesandrini was born in Peoria, Illinois on April 29, 1952 to Gene and Ellen Alesandrini. He died on February 6, 2025, surrounded by his loving family.
Gene grew up in Pekin, Illinois, one of six children in a boisterous, hard-working family. He delivered newspapers, served as an altar boy, camped, fished, and earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He went on to play music, baseball, and a lot of euchre. He attended college off and on, worked as a garbage collector, kept chickens, hunted, and helped his dad build houses. He could give a hell of a speech.
Gene had a beautiful singing voice. In living rooms and at his kids’ bedside he played guitar and sang James Taylor, Jerry Jeff Walker, and lots more. “Sweet Baby James,” “Daisy a Day,” “Back Home Again,” and “London Homesick Blues” were just a few favorites.
He used his gravitas and charisma to bring people together and help them think for themselves. He cared about public service, performing arts, and community, and ultimately chose to become an educator. A really good one. His time teaching at Manual High School deepened his empathy for others and his disdain for red tape. Gene spent the majority of his career at Muskingum University’s Speech Communication and Theatre Department as an utterly beloved professor. He showed up for his students, often like family, as a supervisor, forensics coach, theatre director, confidante, and advocate.
He loved farmer’s markets, movies with happy endings, protest songs, and the word “phenomenal.” Mostly, he loved Joyce. He hated bullies and tyrants. Mostly, he hated any moment he couldn’t fix a problem for the people he loved.
For Gene, heaven likely looks like a bountiful fishing hole on the St. Johns River in Florida or Cigar Island in Canada. Surrounded by all his favorite dogs, he’ll be waiting for his love, Joyce to join him on the water.
Gene is preceded in death by two sons, Jacob and Nic. He is survived by his wife Joyce, his children Annie, Geno, Dominic, and Emily, his mother Ellen, and his siblings Diane (Ron) Nord, Carol (Bill) DeBord, Sue Bosich, Patrick (Mary) Alesandrini, and Michael (Cathy) Alesandrini. His family honors his memory through their healthy distrust of authority and tenacious belief in love stories.
A community gathering celebrating the lives of Gene and Nic will be held on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at the Pekin Park Pavilion on the Lagoon in Mineral Springs Park. Doors will be open from 1:30 to 4:30, including a memorial service from 2:00 to 3:00.
The family has entrusted Abts Mortuary in Pekin with his arrangements. Online condolences may be made at abtsmortuary.com
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