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Kids Clubhouse of Suffolk County

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Gene Mundie, president of the Kids Clubhouse of Suffolk, often joined the children for pizza parties. Photo from Julie Watterson

By Rita J. Egan

With the passing of Gene Mundie Feb. 21, the Three Village community has lost a generous resident who has helped countless students reach their highest potential, according to friends.

Mundie was an assistant dean at the Stony Brook School of Nursing at Stony Brook University as well as the president of the nonprofit organization Kids Clubhouse of Suffolk Inc. in Port Jefferson Station. He graduated from Hazleton Senior High School in Pennsylvania before beginning a career in nursing, according to the obituary on the O.B. Davis Funeral Home website. He earned degrees from Bellevue School of Nursing, Pennsylvania State University, Columbia University and Stony Brook University.

Lee Anne Xippolitos, dean of Stony Brook School of Nursing, said Mundie was the director of staff development when Stony Brook University Hospital first opened, and nearly 20 years ago, started working at the School of Nursing full time.

In 1980, Mundie became her mentor and friend when she was a student and he was her preceptor. Xippolitos described him as a generous person and humanitarian.

“He was a mentor. He was a leader. He was the nicest person you will ever meet.”

— Julie Watterson

“He was an individual who was constantly involved with furthering the — not just the education — but the livelihood if you will, the success of kids,” she said. “He was constantly involved with helping young people succeed. That was his theme.”

Xippolitos said she remembers when Mundie discovered an SBU student living out of a car and helped the student find a place to live.

He set up the Gene Mundie Endowment Fund for students of the School of Nursing. Xippolitos said in the past the interest on the principle of the endowment was awarded to a student to assist with tuition, but recently Mundie embellished the fund with the hopes that a full scholarship would be awarded each year.

Jonathan Kornreich, vice president of the Kids Clubhouse, formerly known as the Boys & Girls Club of Suffolk County, has been on the board with Mundie for eight years. He said 40 years ago Mundie was one of the founders of the organization, which provides an affordable after-school program in Port Jefferson Station for children in the Comsewogue School District and Setauket area as well as a summer camp. Kornreich said Mundie was a down-to-earth, dedicated, passionate individual.

“Caring for kids and trying to provide positive experiences — supportive kind of environments for them — especially after school has been a lifelong passion of his,” Kornreich said.

Julie Watterson, executive director of Kids Clubhouse of Suffolk, said when she started two years ago, Mundie took her under his wing.

“I don’t think there are enough synonyms in the thesaurus for kindness, generosity,” she said. “He was a mentor. He was a leader. He was the nicest person you will ever meet.”

“I’ve known Gene all these years, and I don’t think I ever once heard him say anything negative about a person or a place.”

— Lee Anne Xippolitos

Watterson said Mundie always attended the not-for-profit’s annual gala in April, golf outings, and would bring his friends to the fundraising events. She said when the clubhouse would have pizza parties with the kids, Mundie would sit and ask them what they liked and what they would like to see at the clubhouse.

“Without him I don’t think we would have survived as many years,” Watterson said. “Between his fundraising efforts and generous contributions, as well as his leadership, he’s really guided us into what we now have as Kids Clubhouse of Suffolk.”

Xippolitos said Mundie leaves behind a great legacy.

“I’ve known Gene all these years, and I don’t think I ever once heard him say anything negative about a person or a place,” she  said. “He always saw the silver lining in a situation. He always had five different ways to solve a problem. He was a real positive, upbeat kind of person.”

Mundie was also involved with The Ward Melville Heritage Organization and the Walk for Beauty for breast cancer research, according to his obituary.

Mundie was the son of the late James J. and Priscilla I. (née Smith). Mundie is survived by his siblings Carole Horlacher, Priscilla Mundie, Sally Russo, the Rev. Melvin Mundie, Maryellen Sims, Judith Mundie, Clare Rossi and David Mundie. His brother James Mundie Jr. and sister June Mundie Moylan predeceased him. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, family members and friends.

Services were held at O.B. Davis Funeral Home in Port Jefferson Station Feb. 24. Interment followed at St. John’s United Church of Christ Cemetery in Pennsylvania.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mundie’s memory may be made to either the Kids Clubhouse of Suffolk Inc., 324 Jayne Blvd., Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776; or Stony Brook School of Nursing, Health Sciences Center, 101 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY 11794.