Necrology

Eugene “Gene” Frank Wallen, Jr. '53

Nov. 11, 1931-Jul. 23, 2021

Eugene Frank Wallen, Jr. ’53 died in New York City on July 23, 2021. Born on Oct. 11, 1931, in Mount Vernon, N.Y., he came to Hamilton from Brewster (N.Y.) Central High School. Gene — as he was known on the Hill and “Pete” to his family — first learned of the College from his mother. She drew his attention to a strong endorsement by the well-known alumnus Alexander Woollcott, Class of 1909, no doubt uttered by “The Town Crier of the Air” during his famous weekly national radio program in which he regularly extolled Hamilton.

Gene worried about his chances of being admitted. In correspondence later in his life with Ben Madonia ’74, then Hamilton’s director of planned giving, Gene wrote: “With my average I.Q., I despaired of going anywhere.” His academic career on the Hill belies his self-deprecation.

Gene majored in English literature and was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. As noted in The Hamiltonian, he “had no difficulty in adjusting himself to quiet niches and ponderous books” and particularly enjoyed listening to recorded music in the College’s music library. As a sophomore, he earned the Fayerweather Prize Scholarship, awarded to the student with the highest grade point average in his class. He was also gifted in languages. A member of the Spanish Club as a freshman and sophomore, and of the French Club during his junior year, Gene collected both the Dr. Edward Fitch Prize in Greek and the Winslow Prize in Romance Languages. He graduated with departmental honors in English literature and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. So much for his “average I.Q.”

From Hamilton, Gene joined the Army. After completing his service in Germany, he remained there for several years. Yale University accepted him as a graduate student, but Gene relocated after Germany to the Philadelphia area and worked for the Fidelity Philadelphia Trust Co. At different times, he resided in the Philadelphia suburbs of Ardmore and Haverford.

By 1961, Gene had moved to the Upper East Side of Manhattan and was working with his younger brother, Burr Edgar Wallen, an art historian and art dealer whose business had offices both in New York City and Santa Barbara, Calif. Their association likely ended in the 1990s when his brother died.

It is uncertain what Gene did after that. He kept to himself and seems to have chosen just a few friends, most of whom lived in or near his residence. In correspondence with Ben Madonia, he speculated: “I probably would have been a good monk, except for being an atheist from birth, not having the God gene.” 

Gene cherished his student days at Hamilton and was a member of the Joel Bristol Associates.

Eugene F. Wallen, Jr. was predeceased by his brother and by his twin sister. He is survived by a nephew and two nieces.

Necrology Home