May 16, 2005  Funeral Homily for Gene Stluka
by Father Jerry Stluka


   The disciples were confused, bewildered, angry, grief stricken,
afraid, and now, had someone  stolen his body -- or, had he really
risen from the dead?  What were they to think?  How were they to
feel?    Afraid? Sad? Happy?

     Jesus himself came and joined them.  He listened and
explained.  Their sadness gave way to joy.  Their fear gave way
to faith.   He vanished from their sight.  And he was closer than
ever.  He now lived in their hearts, listened with their ears and
spoke with their mouths .  

     Sound familiar?  Doesn't this account preview our recent
experiences with our ever faithful and loving brother, husband,
father, grandfather, friend and co-worker, Gene Stluka ,who would
walk with us, listen to us and explain the mysteries of life to us?

     Like Jesus, Gene suffered.  His vision and dreams were not
always  understood.  His integrity, honesty, priorities and
principled life were not always shared,  He had his bouts with
depression, doubt, anxiety and fear.  Yet, through his successes
and setbacks, he grew in faith and determination,  Indeed in his
weaknesses he truly discovered the Grace of God whom he deeply
trusted.  

     Some seven years ago Gene was diagnosed with lung cancer
with a life expectancy of six months.  Instead of  caving in to
pessimism or self pity, Gene became even more determined  to
live a life of faith  and to re-commit himself to the mission and
ministry God was entrusting to him.  He wholeheartedly gave
himself to his faith, family and career. He continued to dream what
seemed to some of us to be an impossible dream.

     He ingeniously arranged to finance the purchase of  JAG, a
small, struggling manufacturing company ,and began to re-build it
with the vision and goal of developing an employee owned
corporation, providing opportunities for  disadvantaged young
people to be mentored into productive and rewarding
careers -- ways they could become confident and capable
community leaders.  He dreamt of a  world  where selfishness 
greed  and corruption would be replaced by  genuine justice and
peace -- where every person would enjoy the dignity of his/her 
eternal and infinite worth as a child of God.  

     Gene was especially blessed by  Carol, his supportive and
loving wife of 47 years.

This steadfast woman of faith has truly been  Gene's soul mate in
good times and bad, sickness and health.  As a seminarian in the
sixties I remember receiving letters announcing the impending
arrival of yet another child, always welcomed and received as a
priceless gift from God.  What an extraordinary couple, what a
beautiful family, what an inspiration to so many of us!

     When Monica was a baby and Mary Lou  not yet a teenager, the
family was living just two hours away from me in Cincinnati.  I
would visit them frequently  and be chided that I was only coming
to re-affirm my celibacy!  O what grand  times we had on my days
off and on our sailing and camping vacations together.  Yes, they
would surely re-affirm not only my celibacy but also my priestly
vocation as they helped me grow in a much deeper appreciation of 
marriage and family life.  Remember the pancake breakfast when
we were camping on Lake Cumberland...

     Gene  so loved and enjoyed life, seasoned with a delightful
sense of humor.  

A special symbol of his zest for life was his passion for sailing. 
How he enjoyed graduating from the sun fish to the Flying Scott
and, most recently, to his dream boat, the  None Such,
appropriately christened  ALLELUIA!

     Yes, Gene's life has truly been an Alleluia, How appropriate
for us to gather on this  day after Pentecost to celebrate his life and
legacy.  Even as the first disciples of Jesus experienced the
outpouring of the Spirit in the driving wind and in the gentle life
giving breath of God and even as their confusion and fear gave
way to enthusiastic faith filled lives, you and I have been entrusted
with the gift of  Gene's spirit.  We have been inspired , affirmed
and encouraged.  Now the wind of Gene's sails, and the gentle
breath of his life  unite with the Holy Spirit of God breathing new
life and hope into each one of us.  Each of us can embrace our
inheritance from Gene and re-affirm our faith in a God who makes
all things possible and who continues to renew the face of the
earth.

     I suspect Gene is now bending God's ear  more than ever about
his hopes and dreams.  His 67 years here has only been a short
beginning -- an appetizer, if you will, of the fullness of life and 
love awaiting us all  in the Kingdom of Heaven.

     I'm sure that when Gene met God face to face last Thursday
afternoon , he met no stranger.  He surely saw in the welcoming
face of  God the loving face of  Carol, Mary Lou, Fred, Gina, Tom,
Frank, Jeff, Chris and Monica, his grandchildren and all whom he
has loved and who have loved him into eternal life.  Can't you
just  see and hear Gene thanking God for the precious gifts of
Carol and all his family and God responding:  "You're  welcome. 
Welcome home, good and faithful servant!"

     Gene always went ahead of his family to find the new home,
start the new job and prepare the way.  Recently he remarked how
this pattern would continue as he would be going ahead once more
to prepare the way.  Well, Gene, take your time -- there's no rush. 
As we continue the mission and ministry you have inspired in us,
please pray for us and help us to be faithful.  

     Even in death Gene kept giving to the point of donating his body
to science and humorously remarked that since none of his parts
were good any more, he might as well donate the whole thing. 
Doesn't this echo the theme of his life -- indeed the life of Christ
who says in the Eucharist:  "This is my body given for you, my
blood poured out for you…do this in remembrance of me."  And at
the end of our Emmaus Gospel account today:  and they recognized
him in the breaking of the bread  and He vanished from their sight
to be even more deeply and intimately present in their lives.

    And so we gather today for Eucharist to give thanks for the gift
of Gene, for his legacy and for his ultimate victory of life over
death.  As Jesus was celebrating Passover with his first disciples
at the first Eucharist he asked them to remember him by loving one
another as he had loved them.  Then their joy  would be complete. 
I believe it is safe to say that Gene's instruction would be the same
for us today:  Remember me by loving one another as I have loved
you.  Then my joy will be yours and your joy will be complete