Obituary of Eugene P. Souther

Eugene P. Souther, Esq., of Glen Cove, NY, formerly of Lattingtown, and Muttontown, NY, and Stuart, FL. died peacefully at home on July 16, 2021, at age 90, surrounded by his family. He was the beloved husband of the late Jane Anne, loving father of six children, cherished grandfather of twenty grandchildren and the proud great-grandfather of nine great-grandchildren.

The product of a Jesuit education (Brooklyn Preparatory High School '49, Fordham College '53 and Fordham Law School '59), Gene lived his life in the Jesuit tradition of service to others. Throughout his life and career this commitment to service was driven by his strong Catholic faith and his love of country and family.  

Gene was a highly accomplished trial lawyer who successfully represented clients in local, state, federal and international courts and tribunals. Throughout his career, he was a strong supporter of voluntary representation of clients on a pro bono basis.  

Gene was a former Chairman (17 years) and retired Senior Counsel at Seward & Kissel, LLP, where he led the firm's Litigation Group for 30 years. He was a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, serving for many years on the New York Downstate Committee of the College. 

From 1988 to 1990 Gene was President of the New York County Lawyers Association.  He served the Association in a number of other capacities, including Vice President, Member of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Finance, Judiciary, Nominating and Investment Committees.  He was NYCLA’s 2017 Recipient of the Boris Kostelanetz President's Medal. 

Gene was a member of the Board of Directors of the Fordham Law Alumni Association since his graduation from the law school's evening division in 1959.  In 2012, he received the Fordham Law School Lifetime Achievement Award.  

Gene served as a member of the Departmental Disciplinary Committee of the Appellate Division, First Department, from 1980 to 1987 serving as a Panel Member, Panel Chairman and a Member of the Policy Committee. He served again from 2002 to 2008 as a Panel Chairman. After an interim period of service as a Referee to hear and report on disciplinary matters on appointment by that Court, Gene returned to the Committee as a Panel Chairman.

Gene served for many years in the House of Delegates of the New York State Bar Association and as a member of that Association’s Nominating Committee. He has also served as a Delegate to the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association and as Vice Chairman of the International Bar Association Section on Business Law Procedures for Settling Disputes.

Gene was appointed a Special Master by the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York to hear and report on disputes. He also was appointed an Arbitrator by the President of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York to hear and decide a dispute between an attorney and his firm as well as being selected by litigants to mediate disputes.

At the time of his death, Gene was serving as Village Justice of the Village of Lattingtown.  He previously served as the Village Justice for the Villages of Muttontown and Bellerose.  In addition, Gene also served as a member of the Village of Lattingtown's Board of Zoning Appeals.

One of Gene's most meaningful forms of service was his time as Chairman and Member of the Board of Trustees of St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn.  He served on numerous SFH committees, including Finance, Long Range Planning, Performance Improvement, Human Resources, Mission on Ministry, and Compliance and Audit, which he also chaired.

In addition, he served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Mercy Medical Center, where he served on a number of its Board Committees.  He also served as a member of the Compliance and Audit Committee of Catholic Health Services of Long Island.

Since 1972, Gene was an active parishioner at the Church of St. Dominic in Oyster Bay, where he served as a Parish Trustee and a member of the Parish Finance Committee.  He also helped lead the successful Capital Campaign at Our Lady of Mercy Academy in Syosset.

After completing his ROTC commitment in college, Gene was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army and served as an Artillery Officer, completing his service as a First Lieutenant.  His assignments included Battery Commander and Battalion Staff Officer.  In later years, Gene became a proud member of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Among his earliest service commitments, Gene worked as a ocean life guard and swim instructor at Breezy Point, one of the many jobs he held while working his way through high school, college and law school as a proud alumnus of Brooklyn's P.S. 152.

Gene was a lifelong avid sports fan.  He regularly attended NY Giants and NY Rangers games with family and friends.  The Rangers honored him in a special on-ice ceremony on the occasion of his 45th year as a season ticket holder.  From an early age, Gene was also a devoted Brooklyn Dodgers fan, occasionally skipping school to attend games at Ebbets Field.  He became an early and loyal NY Mets fan and in later years he rarely missed a game on TV.  A long-time member of Nassau Country Club, where he spent many happy occasions entertaining family, friends and colleagues, Gene also enjoyed playing golf, tennis and softball and loved both his time on the water as a self-taught sailor and his travels across the country and around the world.

Above all, Gene was a devoted and caring husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

He is survived by his children, Sharon Souther (William Murphy), Terese Cronauer (Christopher), Thomas Souther (Catherine), Lisbeth Finnerty (Brian), Regina Souther (Michael Stiuso), and Eugene Souther (Lori).

Gene is also survived by his grandchildren, Ian Murphy (Elizabeth Dickey-Murphy), Conor Murphy, Caela Murphy, Eamon Murphy, Courtney Garfall (Nicholas), Andrew Cronauer (Daisy), Kevin Cronauer (Katelyn), Ryan Cronauer, Kyle Cronauer (Simone), Caitlin Levine (Alexander), Christopher Souther (Mara), Margaret Souther, Craig Finnerty (Susan), Arrial Finnerty (Andrew Leidig), Gaelan Finnerty (Timothy Tolan), Dylan Finnerty, Jack Stiuso, Matthew Stiuso, Reilly Souther, and William Souther.

Gene is also survived by his great-grandchildren, Aelyn Dickey-Murphy, Declan Garfall, Aiden Garfall, Liam Garfall, Bradley Cronauer, Cameron Cronauer, Thomas Levine, John Souther, and Beau Finnerty. 

He is also survived by many loving relatives and friends. 
 

Gene was pre-deceased by his dear parents, Winslow and Mary (nee Reilly) Souther, and his brothers, Winslow and Thomas, as well as by his second wife Gretchen.  

Visiting Oyster Bay Funeral Home, 261 South St., Oyster Bay, NY, Wednesday 4-8 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial, St. Dominic RC Church, Oyster Bay, NY Thursday, 10:30 a.m. Interment Holy Rood Cemetery. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in Gene's memory can be made to St. Francis Hospital, Office of Development, Port Washington Blvd., Roslyn New York 11578, and/or Fordham University School of Law, memo to say Eugene P. Souther LAW '59 Scholarship Fund, Fordham University School of Law, PO Box 412875, Boston, MA, 02241-2875. 

MEMORIAL SLIDESHOW: In Loving Memory of Eugene P. Souther