The History Center in Tompkins County - In appreciation of Gene Endres

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In appreciation of Gene Endres

THE HISTORY CENTER BLOG

The History Center blog shares research and findings about local history, excerpts from the History Center Archives, information about upcoming exhibits and other opportunities on how to get involved with The History Center in Tompkins County. To learn more or view the archival materials mentioned, visit us in downtown Ithaca, follow us on social media @TompkinsHistory, or subscribe to our monthly newsletter History Happenings.

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In appreciation of Gene Endres

Fri, November 04, 2022 5:37 PM | Anonymous

In appreciation of Gene Endres

It is with great sadness that we would like to honor Gene Endres, our long-time volunteer who died on October 3rd, 2022. Gene was a multi-

talented person; a writer, engineer, photographer, and historian who gave generously of his time and skills to any and all projects we asked of him. His primary work with The History Center was in the archives and research library where he helped us with collections processing and research, but he gladly threw himself into exhibit work, programming, and special projects whenever we asked. In 2018- 2019 Gene helped us with the monumental task of packing, moving, and unpacking our collections when we moved to our new home in the Tompkins Center for History and Culture. He was an essential contributor to the design and layout of our new Research Library and Archives, and his sure hand and engineer's eye helped us create our beautiful new research space. His great love for trains, embodied in his long association with the Cornell Railroad Historical Society, was another great asset for us in our frequent work on local railroads and general transportation topics.

The author of the long-running series "Postcards from the Finger Lakes" in the Ithaca Times, Gene also applied his writing skills to our Then & Now series for the Ithaca Journal, where he wrote engagingly on a wide variety of topics. He wrote exhibit text and special pieces for research projects, and his distinctive and clever style was a mainstay in our work. His photography skills were just as remarkable, and he generously gave us numerous images for exhibits and research work. They are all a part of our permanent photo collections now.

Gene was always genial and warm with everyone, and his Friday mornings in the Research Library usually began with a chat and a trip down an interesting conversational byway. He was a versatile thinker and always had something insightful to say on books or art or politics or the natural world, and conversation with him was as instructive as it was fun. Gene was a kind and generous friend to many of us as well as to the History Center itself, and he will be sorely missed. Our sympathies go out to his family and friends, especially Ashley Miller, his partner and long-time volunteer and friend of The History Center.

Gene's Ithaca Journal Obituary - A Tribute from 92 WICB