Eugene J. Nevins
Gene was a gentle, kind, soft-spoken man who always had a smile for those he met. He was a magician and ventriloquist and used his talents to teach about God’s love and to bring joy to others — especially children in hospitals.
We pray in thanksgiving for the life of our brother, Fr. Eugene J. Nevins, SJ, who died on February 2, 2018, at St. Camillus in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. He was 85 years old. May he rest in peace.
Gene was born on March 28, 1932 in Chicago, Illinois. He entered the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus as a Brother on September 2, 1951 at Milford, Ohio. Gene requested priestly ordination, and after Theology studies, was ordained on June 12, 1980 at Madonna della Strada Chapel on the campus of Loyola University Chicago. He took final vows on August 15, 1962 in Oak Park, Illinois.
Before entering the Society, Gene graduated from Campion High School in Prairie du Chien and completed a year of study at Marquette University. He received Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Theology School of Applied Theology at Berkeley (1969-1972). He also received a Master’s of Divinity from Loyola University Chicago (1981).
As a Jesuit Brother, Gene served the Society internally as registrar of West Baden College in Indiana (1953-1958) and as secretary to the Chicago Provincial (1958-1969). In 1973 he changed his focus to pastoral ministry. He worked on the pastoral visitation team at Holy Family Church in Chicago (1973-1977) and participated in the Archdiocese of Chicago’s permanent diaconate training program as a special student (1975-1977). After ordination, Gene was a chaplain at various hospitals: Cook County Hospital (Chicago), Children’s Hospital of Michigan (Detroit), St. John Hospital (Detroit), Good Samaritan Hospital (Cincinnati), John H. Stroger Hospital (Chicago). He also was associate pastor at Holy Family Church (1986-1988). He moved to St. Camillus in 2012 to care for his health.
Gene was a gentle, kind, soft-spoken man who always had a smile for those he met. He was a magician and ventriloquist and used his talents to teach about God’s love and to bring joy to others — especially children in hospitals. Gene’s ventriloquist dummy, Shamus, was an Irish monk who wore a green habit.
Wake
Tuesday, February 6, 2018 5:30 p.m.
Court East Chapel at St. Camillus
10100 W. Bluemound Road
Wauwatosa, WI 53226
Funeral
Tuesday, February 6, 2018 7:00 p.m.
Court East Chapel at St. Camillus
Burial
Wednesday, February 7, 2018 9:00 a.m.
Mt. Olivet Cemetery
