It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful death of Eugene (Gene) Cadman, 71, on February 9 in Hyannis, MA, brought on by complications of lymphoma.
Gene was born in 1951 and raised in Briarcliff Manor, NY. He was an active child who excelled in sports and thought he could get somewhere faster if he just ran.
He graduated from Briarcliff High School, class of 1969 and received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Springfield College in Physical Education.
Gene, or “Coach”, as he was fondly called, taught P.E. at Todd Elementary School in Briarcliff for 33 years and educated two generations of young people in the joys of sport and fitness. Gene always said he had the best job in the world because he had gym class every day. He made all his students feel special and his sense of humor was famous amongst faculty and students.
His love of sport also included coaching, primarily soccer and basketball and this continued until he started coaching his own children in youth sports.
In honor for his many years of service, a playground was dedicated in Gene’s name at Todd School in 2005. He was also inducted into the BHS Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame in 1998.
Gene married his long time crush from high school, Peggy Lupo Cadman, in 1975, and together they raised their children, Wes and Lindsay, in Yorktown. They had 46 wonderful years of marriage and raised their children to be the next generation of educators. Their 5 grandchildren came to love “Papa” for his endless enthusiasm, trips to the beach, sailboat rides, and that all too wonderful hot tub.
After Gene’s retirement in 2006 he and Peg moved permanently to their Cape Cod house, and enjoyed the year round living, except for those few months in the winter when he and Peg escaped to Hilton Head to bike and walk on the endless beaches. While on the Cape, Peg and Gene enjoyed sailing, running and biking, and exploring. Gene could have been a Cape Cod tour guide.
Gene joined the local YMCA where he not only took spinning classes and swam but became “mayor” of the locker room, holding court after workouts with endless jokes and pranks. Peg wondered how much exercise actually happened at the Y…
Gene also volunteered for more than four years in the Y’s “Pedaling for Parkinson’s” program where he combined his love for teaching with cycling. It was a perfect fit for Gene.
Gene was a lifelong runner until his joints no longer cooperated for the sport he so loved. He could quote the splits of his favorite high school cross country races decades after his run and every local car trip was peppered with the comment “I used to run there”. He transferred that love of running to cycling where he did the MS 150 ride with family and friends for many years along with his numerous rides around the Cape and Hilton Head bike paths with Peg.
Gene was your typical extrovert, making connections and friends everywhere he went. From the folks in the airport line to that fellow with the Springfield College sweatshirt. He always found something to connect people together. From his STASH college buddies to the friends in the AOP Beach Association, Gene had groups of friends from everywhere he went. When you became a friend of Gene’s it was for life.
Gene was a quietly generous man, paying attention to the needs of his friends and family, and often surprising folks when it mattered most. Gene will be missed by more people than he will ever know.
Gene is predeceased by his parents, Lawrence and Eugenia, sister Dottie, and brother Larry (Muno) Cadman. Along with his wife, Peggy, he leaves behind his sister, Alice Cadman Leason, sister-in-law, Diane Cadman, his children, Wes Cadman and his wife Katie, Lindsay Cadman Mangan and her husband Brian, and his wonderful grandchildren, Owen, Kyle, Sean, Kate, and James, along with many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
The family is grateful for the wonderful care Gene received from his doctors and caregivers on the Cape and in Boston. A special thanks to the sisters of mercy and David’s 4PM calls.
A memorial will be held in Briarcliff Manor, NY, on Tuesday, February 15 at Waterbury and Kelly Funeral Home from 4-8 PM.
In lieu of flowers please make donations to sailcapecod.org or any charity of your choosing.
A lovely tribute to him. I’m so happy to have wandered into your West Yarkmouth driveway once in 2007 to hear him rockin’ out on the keyboard he had in the garage. I enjoyed reconnecting with you both. I so enjoyed his wonderful, wry Cadman humor.
Dear Peg, Wes, and Lindsay,
Words cannot express my sadness and deepest sympathy for your loss. Gene was my most important mentor in my teaching career in Briarcliff. As a master teacher and coach, he treated his students and colleagues with empathy, wisdom, and kindness. His positive outlook was infectious. “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.“
On my first day at Todd School, I approached my music classroom hearing the sweet piano sounds of “Georgia Brown” played by Gene on our baby grand. After that, most mornings started with musical visits and improv sessions with Gene at the keyboard and me playing student xylophones.
At first, I thought Gene was a music teacher because he was such a natural. His playing reflected his warmth and enthusiastic personality. I loved playing together to start the day.
Gene shared his love of biking with me. During our long rides on the North County Trail Way, we shared stories about our families, students, teaching and coaching, leadership and life. And as everyone who was blessed to spend time with Gene knows, he had a way of making you feel like he was your best friend.
Again, I am so sorry for your loss. I deeply appreciate having the honor of Gene‘s friendship and enjoying his wisdom as my mentor.
Sincerely,
Marc Tartell
Gene will always be remembered as a remarkable role model for the children and young adults he coached through the years. His devotion to coaching and teaching young athletes was truly his passion.
We are grateful for the memories.
What a great, caring and loving man. Peggy, Nereida and I are sooo sad for your loss. We celebrate Gene’s awesome life. And we pray that you will find comfort in the life he shared with you. Blessings Bernard