Eugene Ponzini

Eugene L. Ponzini (Gene), age 88, of Little Rock, Arkansas, formerly of Roslyn, Locust Valley and Armonk, New York, passed into eternal life on Sunday, November 19, 2017. He was a parishioner of Christ the King Catholic Church. Gene was preceded in death by his parents, Victor and Lena Ponzini, his wife Pearl, and his sister Maria Ponzini. Gene was born in Roslyn, New York on August 1, 1929. Gene is survived by his sons: Rev. Thomas, Manvel, Texas (Diocese of Galveston/Houston), Peter Ponzini, Houston, Texas, James Ponzini, Little Rock, Arkansas, and daughter: Linda Herman (William) and grandchildren: Jason, Michael and Christopher Herman, Vero Beach, Florida. Gene began his working career after studying Foreign Business and marketing at the Latin American Institute in New York. Because of his language skills in Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, his employers often assigned him to sell to Mexico and Central America. For Olin Corp, he sold several of their products including Winchester firearms, fertilizer and crop protection chemicals. When selling agricultural chemicals, he often visited with the small family farmers. In 1979 Gene, his wife Pearl and youngest son James were transferred to Little Rock. Gene was appreciative of what his career allowed him to do. He got a National Geographic tour of the world having visited 66 countries. Gene retired from Olin in 1982, but continued to do foreign business consulting for local companies. In his retirement, Gene realized some of his skills were still valuable. He was a member of the first medical mission to Honduras with Christ the King Church in 1997 and volunteered again in 1998. He served as an interpreter in one of the clinics. Gene also volunteered as an interpreter for Catholic Charities Immigration Services and at St. Edward Pre-natal clinic. A visitation for Gene will be held on Thursday, November 23, 2017 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with rosary beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Griffin Leggett Healey & Roth Funeral Home, 5800 W. 12th Street, Little Rock, AR 72204. Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, November 24 at 12:00 p.m. at Christ the King Catholic Church, 4000 N. Rodney Parham Rd., Little Rock, AR 72212 with Father Thomas Ponzini officiating. Burial will follow at Forest Hills Memorial Park, Alexander, AR. In lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated to: Carmelite Nuns, Carmel of St. Teresa of Jesus, 7201 West 32nd Street, Little Rock, AR 72204-4716.