Genovesi of Bedford Hills dies at 87

By ANTHONY R. MANCINI

George Genovesi, 87, of Bedford Hills, died Saturday, May 2, surrounded by family. Mr. Genovesi was a Bedford volunteer firefighter for 60 years, longtime mechanic and War World II Navy veteran.

Married for the first time at 82, he worked for the owner of White Owl Cigars, bowled nearly a perfect game, and caddied for jazz legend Benny Goodman.

Mr. Genovesi was born and raised in Bedford Hills to the late Amato and Maria Genovesi. He first lived off of Hook Road and at the age of 3 his parents settled on Harris Road. Mr. Genovesi never married until 2009, when he married Alice Retter, from Bedford Hills, at the age of 82. Mr. Genovesi attended Bedford Hills High School, which has since become Bedford Hills Elementary School. He played varsity baseball and pitched a three-hit shutout in his last game before being shipped off for the Navy. He would remain a baseball fan throughout life, rooting for the New York Yankees. He played varsity basketball as well. In a town oral history interview, he said as a small basketball player he developed a hook shot to throw over the big men who would surround him. He also played clarinet in the school’s marching band.

Mr. Genovesi served during World War II in the U.S. Navy for 15 months, reaching the rank of seaman second class, despite not knowing how to swim. “The funny thing about it was he couldn’t swim, and he went and served this country,” said his nephew Anthony Paganelli. After his service ended, Mr. Genovesi worked at the Westa estate off of Harris Road for $4 a day. He said during the history interview that Ms. Westa, owner of White Owl Cigars, laid him off after saying she was bankrupt. Mr. Genovesi then worked as an auto mechanic, first for Potter Buick in Mount Kisco for 19 years and later for Bedford Exxon and Bedford Shell for around 20 years.

“If people had issues with their cars here in Bedford over the last 30 to 40 years, everyone would call,” Mr. Paganelli said. “Everyone trusted him as a mechanic.”

He was a dedicated member of the Bedford Fire Department for 60 years, having first joined in 1955.
Bedford Fire Chief Peter Lazaro said he remembers Mr. Genovesi for marching prominently in department parades until late in life when he began to ride in the department’s antique truck.

“No matter what was going on there was a smile on his face,” Chief Lazaro said. “He was always in the front of the line when we marched. He showed up to all of our events. He was a go-to guy. I’ve known him the whole time I’ve been here.”

Mr. Genovesi enjoyed bowling and made 11 strikes in a row to score a 299 at the Bedford firehouse’s lanes in 1962, one point away from a perfect game. “People here at the department always talk about one,” Mr. Paganelli said. “One pin stood up for him and he missed that 300 point game.”

Mr. Genovesi was also an avid golfer, and used to play at Bedford Golf and Tennis when the club used to allow volunteer firefighters to play on Mondays. Earlier in life, he once caddied for jazz clarinetist and bandleader Benny Goodman, known as the “King of Swing,” at Bedford Golf and Tennis.

Mr. Genovesi was an active parishioner of St. Patrick's Church in Bedford, and he enthusiastically volunteered at the church carnival's food booth for 40 years, becoming well-known for serving up sausage and pepper wedges to carnival-goers. He had previously volunteered at the Bedford Fire Department’s carnival, before the St. Patrick's carnival became and annual event in Bedford Village.
He is survived by his wife; his sister Sue Panetta of Dover, New Jersey; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews and stepchildren.

Mr. Genovesi never had children, but raised his nieces and nephews as if they were his own. “He never had children of his own, so he treated all of his nieces and his nephews as his own children,” said his niece Diane Paganelli Pucila. “He was a surrogate father to a lot of us.” “His family was his siblings and his nieces and nephews and their children,” Mr. Paganelli said. “He was the uncle to everyone, be it family or not.”

He was predeceased by his brother, Joe Genovesi, and his sisters, Jennie Cutri, Eleanor Burger and Ann Paganelli. A funeral service was held Wednesday. He is interned at the St. Francis Cemetery in Mount Kisco.