Gene Barretto

Gene Barretto passed away peacefully at home surrounded by loved ones after a courageous battle with ALS.

Gene approached life with an unmatchable joy and loved family and friends above all else. He was married to his wife Patricia (Trisha) for 51years before her death in 2002. They raised four children together and shared a deep love of their children, grandchildren, and sports.

As a young man he was an excellent athlete and played football, basketball and baseball at Westford High School. While serving in the Army in Texas he developed such a stellar reputation as a baseball pitcher that he was nicknamed “hooky” for his nasty curveball, and he received an offer to play minor league baseball. He declined the offer in order to rejoin his sweetheart Trisha back home in Massachusetts.

For 30 years Gene worked as a controller with his brothers at Barretto Granite Corp, where he was able to indulge in another activity he loved–working with numbers.

Gene loved all sports whether as a spectator watching the Red Sox, Patriots or Celtics, or as a (very) fierce competitor. Those who ever played cribbage or poker with him knew just how competitive he was! He was an avid golfer and ping pong player, and he was a founder of the Amherst Golf Club in Amherst, NH, in 1969. At age 85 he was disturbed by the fact he had to use a golf cart and could no longer walk 18 holes (probably due to the ALS that he did not know he had at the time).

Gene’s love of sports also extended to coaching kids, which he did for a combined total of 46 years in the sports of baseball and basketball. In fact, he was part of a small, select group of dedicated coaches for whom Coaches Corner was named in the city of Nashua.

Other pastimes that Gene enjoyed included watching his grandchildren’s sports and theater/dance activities, fishing, and gardening–no one had the touch with roses that Gene had!

Gene was fortunate to find love again later in his life and married Kathleen (Kay) McGlone in 2013. He enjoyed spending the final years of his life with her, as well as getting to know and love her five children.

Gene is survived by his wife, Kathleen (Kay), sisters: Ida (Barretto) Giunta; Lillian Peek and her husband, Scott Peek, sons: Tim Barretto and his wife, Mary; Dan Barretto and his wife, Karyn, daughters: Sue Sirois and her husband, Don Sirois; Joan Barretto and her husband, Bill Donnelly, grandchildren: Nick Barretto and his wife, Lucy; Chris Barretto and his wife, Meaghan; Greg Sirois and his wife, Anne; Mickey Sirois and his wife, Kelsey; Doug Sirois and his wife, Emily; Merranda Donnelly; Alana Barretto; and Maddy Barretto, great grandchildren: Rosie Gray Barretto; Arianna Rose Barretto.

SERVICES: Visitation will be held at Davis Funeral Home, One Lock Street in Nashua on Friday, January 31, 2020 from 4-7pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, February 1, 2020, 11am, at St. Christopher Parish, 62 Manchester Street in Nashua. Those attending are asked to meet at the church. Interment will be at St. Catherine’s Cemetery, 20 Pine Ridge Road in Westford, MA following the Funeral. Family and friends are invited to attend. An online guest book is available at www.davisfuneralhomenh.com, (603-883-3401) “ONE MEMORY LIGHTS ANOTHER”.