June 6, 1934 – February 12, 2025
Eugene (Gene) Manley Milks, 90, of Windmill Road, Napoli, NY, born June 6, 1934 in the township of Napoli, NY, passed away peacefully in his sleep on February 12, 2025. What can you say about a man who lived his entire life within one mile of his birthplace, He was the second born of the late John and Ethel Milks, helping his brother John pave the way for his younger siblings, Martha, Charles (aka Chuck), Raymond, Marlene, and Sherwood.
Growing up on a dairy farm during the great depression and then the Second World War chiseled him into a resourceful (and somewhat insanely) “keep-you-money-in-your-pocket” man. He wasn’t stingy, but he certainly was frugal.
Gene attended Little Valley High School in the late 40s and early 50s and graduated 12th in his class. He liked to brag about that status but then would confess quietly that the 13th student failed. With farming in his blood, he then rented (and later purchased) a 200-acre farm from his mother on the Pigeon Valley road in (of course) Napoli Township where he dairy farmed a 30+ head of dairy cows, sometimes chickens and pigs, but never horses (“hay burners!” he would declare.
When he was about 22 years of age, he married Sally (Snyder) who brought with her three children from a previous marriage: Christine, William, and Lesley Ehman. Together, Gene and Sally added Scott and Catherine to the mix.
The early farming years were sometimes a struggle, but Gene always found time to take a myriad of trips for relaxation – a few to Johnny’s Grill in East Randolph with the good ol’ boys, especially his brother-in-law, the late Philip Snyder. He also favored week-long fishing trips to his father’s cabin, “The Quail,” situated on Kipawa Lake in the nether regions of Quebec, Canada. He took numerous people “to Canada” fishing throughout those youthful years, including his third wife, Carol Gray, for their honeymoon (taking along his 4 children still living at home at that time).
As the years went by – as did three wives which he bragged about for the rest of his life – he married Clara (aka Chub) Pennington and acquired more step-children with that union: Vicki, William, Kelly and Norman (aka Joe) Pennington.
Clara was his life-long partner until her untimely death from Alzheimer’s in 2019. Together, Gene and Clara built a house on the Windmill Road in (naturally) Napoli Township and enjoyed over 25 years there raising “their” son, Joe. Gene’s daughter, Catherine, now resides there, holding down the fort.
Gene took on the prestigious job of Highway Superintendent for the (no surprise) Napoli Township and occupied that position for nigh on 18 years until Clara’s health decided his retirement. He had since sold the farm, but as a born and bred farmer, he still had to keep an eye on all the farms around him to see how the crops fared from season to season. (That’s why farmers drive so slow on the back roads… they are checking out the neighbors’ fields.)
Gene and Clara traveled throughout their years together visiting destinations like Hawaii, Nashville, Prince Edward Island, Montana, Yellowstone and best of all, Alaska where he visited Catherine while she was stationed there in the Air Force. He fell in love with that pristine wilderness and returned, taking some family members with him to see what he loved.
Gene had a bone of refinement in him which he graciously passed on to his children. He took them to the Ice Follies in Buffalo (hence a love for figure skating), to the movies in Jamestown (welcome operettas such as “The Sound of Music” and “The King and I”), his love for country music and his die-hard dedication to the Buffalo Bills.
“O Holy Night” was his favorite Christmas song and popcorn with milk was his favorite nighttime snack.
Gene was preceded in death by his parents, John and Ethel Milks, his sister Martha (Slater), his brother John, daughter Christine (Booth) Ehman, and sons William Ehman and Scott Milks. He is survived by his daughters Catherine (Buck) and Lesley (Paul), sons Joe (Tracy), Jason and Paul; grandchildren Brian, Holly, Sonya, Billy, Danny, Mikey, Jesse, Sami, David, Rachel, Clara, Christa, Jenny, Scottie, Mason, Zee, Erika, Erin and Matthew; 30 great-grandchildren, sister Marlene (Webster) and brothers Chuck, Raymond and Sherwood.
The family will receive relatives and friends from 10:00 AM to Noon on Monday, February 17, 2025 from the VanRensselaer & Son Funeral Home, 14 Church St., Randolph. Rev. W. Mike Trenchard will officiate. Burial will be in the South Napoli Cemetery.
To leave a condolence, log onto www.vanrensselaerandsonfuneralhome.com In lieu of flowers, if desired, a memorial gift may be sent in Gene’s memory to a charity of one’s choice.
