Gene E. Prouty – 1933-2020

Gene Edward Prouty of Nashua, NH and Swanton, VT passed away peacefully on July 5, 2020 at his beloved camp on Lake Champlain. He has now joined his late wife of 60+ years, Mary Evelyn Haren Prouty, in heaven.

Gene was born in Swanton, VT to the late Charles and Lucille Prouty. He attended the Manlius School in Manlius, NY and then went on to earn a BS in Civil Engineering from Norwich University (’56) in Northfield, VT. While a cadet at Norwich he was a member of Skull and Swords, Tau Delta Phi, and served as class president for three years. It was there that he met his wife, Mary, a Vermont Junior College (’54) co-ed, at a football game. They were married seven months after graduation and moved to Fort Leonard Wood, MO where Gene was an Aide-de-Camp in the army.

After his service was completed, Gene had an outstanding career as a Professional Civil Engineer. His career brought him from VT to Florida, to New Jersey and finally to Nashua, NH. Of his many accomplishments, (including managing the construction of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA in Florida and becoming the VP of Construction at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia) he was most proud of his children and grandchildren. Which is how, when most men are thinking about retirement, he and Mary moved from Cherry Hill, NJ to Nashua, NH to be close to their three children Bonnie Prouty Cote (Scott), Amy Prouty Gill (Christopher) and John C. Prouty (Stephanie) and their families. Nothing gave him more pleasure than bragging about his children and grandchildren to anyone who would listen.

In Nashua he continued to be an extremely well-respected source for the construction industry. He managed several projects in Nashua including the expansion and/or renovations at Southern NH Medical Center, Lahey Hitchcock Clinic, the Nashua Police Department and the Temple Beth Abraham.

He would have continued working if only he could have all summers off to spend on Lake Champlain. Once he finally retired, that’s just what they did. Until Mary passed in 2017, they spent every summer at “camp.”

The only place he loved as much as camp, was Norwich University. As an alumnus he was an active member of the Alumni Association, on the Board of Fellows, and a card carrying member of the Blue Line Club. His love of Norwich was so great that he inspired his three children (NU/VC), two grandsons, and several other friends and family to go to school there. To say he was an avid hockey fan (starting with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1967) would be an understatement.

Besides his children and their spouses, he leaves behind his grandchildren, Christopher P. Gill (Andrea), Andrew Cote (Meredith), Maryalice Gill Curley (James), Rebecca Prouty Eskeland (Nathan), Peter J. Gill, Abigail L. Cote, and Charles J. Prouty. He also leaves behind his great-grandchildren, Connor Gill, Ronan Gill, Jason Eskeland, Evelyn Eskeland, Sebastian Cote, and Ainsleigh Cote.

Gene will be buried next to Mary at Norwich University Cemetery, Friday, July 10, 2020 at 1:00pm. Family and friends are invited to the cemetery. Social distancing is encouraged.

Memorial donations may be made to the Norwich University Cemetery committee, Attn: Jamie Comolli, 158 Harmon Drive, Northfield VT 05663.