John Eugene, Jr.

Dr. John Eugene, Jr., 65, died on September 12, 2011 with his family by his side.
Dr. John Eugene was born in Jersey City, New Jersey on January 29, 1946 to John and Catherine Eugene. Shortly thereafter, his family moved to New York City where he was raised in the Bronx. He advanced two grades while attending New York City Public Schools, beginning high school at age 12. By that time, his family, which now included his younger sister Diane, had moved to Long Island. He attended Plainedge High School, where he was a 3-sport athlete. He subsequently went to Rutgers University, where he played 150 lb. football and graduated at age 20. After graduation, he studied Biophysics at Columbia University. In 1968, Columbia was closed due to student riots, so he applied to medical school and went to the State University of New York, Downstate. Throughout graduate school and medical school, he worked full time, never taking funds from family, friends, or the government for his education.
In 1972, while an intern at San Francisco General Hospital, he met Karyl Lynn Shanks. They married in 1978. He continued his training with appointments at UC San Francisco, UC Davis, and UC Irvine. His first son, John Eugene, III, was born in 1979. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Los Alamitos, CA and he joined the faculty at UC Irvine and the Long Beach VA.
As an academician, Dr. Eugene's interests included laser treatment for arteriosclerosis, circulatory assist for cardiogenic shock, and coronary artery bypass. He secured several large research grants, lectured frequently, and published many scientific papers. He left academics and went into private practice, shortly before the birth of his second son, Joseph Paul in 1985. In 1987, he devoted much time and effort in assisting Dr. Richard Ott in establishing the UC Irvine Heart Transplant Program. The family moved to Rolling Hills, CA that same year.
Dr. Eugene continued to build his practice while expanding his research interests to the surgical treatment of emphysema. He established the U.S. Lung Program in Anaheim, which attracted patients from all over the country. In 1997, he entered the new field of endovascular surgery and began a successful aortic stenting program. Ultimately, he had offices in L.A. County and Orange County with activity at 12 hospitals.
Dr. Eugene was an accomplished jazz and classical guitarist and his favorite musicians were George Benson and Andres Segovia. He also enjoyed working in the kitchen as a gourmet cook, whose eggplant parmigiana was a favorite with friends and family. Skiing, running and weightlifting remained favorite pursuits. He ran thirteen marathons and especially enjoyed chute skiing at Mammoth Mountain where he had a second home. Perhaps his deepest passion was reserved for Italian sports cars, especially Alfa Romeos and Ferraris, and he continued to drive his Testarossa in Ferrari rallies into the very last months of his life.
Dr. Eugene was diagnosed with cancer in 2007. He continued to work through much of his illness but reduced his practice to focus mostly on his work in Orange County at Anaheim Regional and Western Medical Center, Anaheim. On March 6, 2010 he celebrated the arrival of his first grandchild, Laura Elise Eugene. He is survived by his wife, his two sons, his granddaughter and his sister.
Viewing will be on Saturday, September 17 from 6 to 9 p.m. and Sunday, September 18 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Green Hills Memorial Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. Funeral Services will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, September 19 at Peninsula Community Church in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Peninsula Community Church or to the Dr. John Eugene Memorial Fund at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. You can donate directly at http://uscsom.convio.net/goto/dreugene .


Funeral Home:
Green Hills Mortuary and Memorial Chapel
27501 S.Western Ave.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
US 90275