CANFIELD, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Gene Bonanno, 65 of Canfield, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, April 22, 2023.

Gene was born on June 28, 1957, in Passaic, New Jersey, the son of Eugene and Eva Bonanno. He grew up in Ringwood, New Jersey.

Following high school, Gene studied Mechanical Engineering at Penn State and graduated in 1979.

He went to work for Delphi Packard in Warren, Ohio. After several years, he changed careers and went to work at IBM in Endicott, New York, Cleveland, Ohio and Youngstown, Ohio. After over 20 years at IBM, he changed careers again and he started his own consulting company, TBG, which he grew to include local, state, national and international companies across several industries.

Gene is survived by his wife, Sue, his best friend of 41 years. Together they raised a beautiful family. He leaves his daughter, Beth (Chad) Hawks of Canfield, Ohio and his son, Justin (Anna) Bonanno of Ave Maria, Florida. “Pops” actively participated daily in the lives of his beloved grandchildren. He leaves to cherish his memory Cole and Claire Hawks, as well as Maria and Ruthie Bonanno. He taught them to ride their first two wheelers, to fish, to throw a football, to conquer dominoes and so much more. He played hide and seek, “Titanic,” “Alligator” and many more special games created by “Pops.” He juggled babies, read nursery rhymes and endless Winnie the Pooh stories and took his grandkids on bike rides. Gene had immeasurable love for and truly treasured his entire family. Gene leaves his sister, Linda (Frank) Carson of Ringwood, New Jersey and nieces, Stacy (Tom) Moore and Gina Carson. He leaves his brother-in-law, John (Therese) Kightlinger of Canfield; nephew, Jeremy (Alicia) Kightlinger and niece, Danylle Kightlinger. He leaves his great-nieces and nephews, Shea and Kieran Moore and Jackson and Paxton Kightlinger. In addition to many special cousins and friends, Gene leaves his Godfather, Al Scheps of Manchester, Vermont, as well as his Godmother and aunt, Sally McCallum of Hollywood, Florida.

Gene loved everyone he met. He never had a bad thing to say and always looked on the bright side. He was his family’s “port in a storm.” He will be terribly missed. He was truly a great man and his legacy as a generous, kind-hearted man will live on in the hearts and minds of innumerable people.

Calling hours will be Friday, April 28, 2023 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Stark Memorial Funeral Home in Salem, Ohio.

Catholic funeral services will be held Saturday, April 29, 2023 beginning at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home with a processional following to Greenhaven Memorial Gardens in Canfield, Ohio.

Those wishing to express condolences may do so online at www.starkmemorial.com. Flowers may also be sent through the site.

To honor his memory, the family is asking that monetary donations be sent to the following organizations chosen with love and special meaning: Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) in St. Petersburg, Florida (give.hopkinsallchildrens.org) and The Melina Michelle Edenfield Foundation, PO Box 34, Canfield, OH 44406.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Gene Bonanno, please visit our floral store.

A television tribute will air Tuesday, April 25 at the following approximate times: 7:10 a.m. on FOX, 12:22 p.m. on WKBN, 5:08 p.m. on MyYTV and 7:27 p.m. on WYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.