
Visitation
Funeral Mass
Burial
Obituary of Eugene Robert Lear
Eugene Robert Lear, of Summit, NJ, passed away peacefully on February 1, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of love, faith and dedication to family. Born in Newark, NJ, on March 13, 1939, Eugene was a proud graduate of Weequahic High School and Seton Hall University, and he later earned an Executive MBA from Harvard University.
Eugene built a successful career in the supermarket industry, working with Pathmark Supermarkets for over thirty years and later A&P Supermarkets. A lifelong fan of the New York Yankees, the New York Football Giants, the New York Knickerbockers, and the Seton Hall Pirates, his passion for sports was only rivaled by his deep love for his family and faith.
He is survived by his wife Suzanne and his children: Chris Lear and his wife Shawn of Needham, MA, and their children Lucas and Stella; Tim Lear and his wife Eleanor of Basking Ridge, NJ, and their children Hyla, James and Tighe; and Frédérique Schachter and her husband Jeff of Harding, NJ, and their children Sophie, Landon and Delphine.
He will be remembered by friends and family for his unwavering devotion to those he loved, his deep Catholic faith, and his enduring good humor and positivity. His happiest moments were spent fishing, working, and surrounded by family, with whom he often shared laughter and enjoyed the beauty of his favorite beach in Sea Girt, NJ.
Some of his other favorite activities included:
Reading the newspaper (all of them!)
Drinking a summer Stella Artois on his in-laws' patio in Belgium
Debating which book to pick for the Gentleman's Book Club
Shopping for suits at the original Roots men's shop (and then circling Brooks Brothers in case he missed something)
Auditing classes at Princeton University (and being mistaken for a professor)
Sending his children current events articles (with helpful notes in the margins)
A celebration of Eugene's life will be held at Gallaway & Crane Funeral Home in Basking Ridge on Thursday, February 6, from 4-7 pm. A funeral mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Peace in New Providence on Friday, February 7, at 10 am. The mass will be followed by a gathering at The Elks Lodge in Summit, NJ.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks for donations to act.alz.org and dontshake.org in his memory.
Eugene's warmth, kindness, and joyful spirit will be deeply missed but forever cherished by all who knew him.