Remembering Gene Simko

Hello my dear Hobby Zoners...


It has taken nearly two weeks to fully process but I am typing this on my laptop tonight, I am remembering a Hobby Hero of mine. Someone who I only knew through Facebook (FB).

I would often check those Hobby related FB Groups for inspiration. There were many talented kit builders on a couple of those Groups. One night I received a FB friend request from a Chap called Gene Simko. It made me grin when I got the notification as I had been following his work on various FB Groups. This incredible man was a kit building genius. He would often build 1/35 military model kits then cut away parts of them and custom build interior detail. His skill was astounding and I could see he had a real love for what he was doing in his work.


For almost 2 years I was able to follow Gene and his journey through Life. He was a Scholar and an ex-military man. (Gene attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, received a BBA in Economics from Temple University, an MBA in Management Science from Temple University, and a PhD in Strategic Management from Baruch College of the City University of New York. Simko held a commission in the United States Army Reserve, Adjutant General's Corps, 1/309 78DIV(TNG). His retirement dreams included returning to his beloved West Point to teach for a semester (and don't you forget: GO ARMY, BEAT NAVY!). 


(Gene Simko had been an avid scale military historic modeler since he first wandered at the age of 10 into his neighborhood Marsh Hobby Shop in his hometown of Trenton. He amassed an extensive collection of both built and unbuilt model kits and enjoyed scratch building armored cutaways. His first model kit was the Aurora Panther Tank in 1963. When he wasn't teaching or out to eat at his favorite restaurants, you could find him lurking the aisles at Red Bank's Hobbymasters, chatting with his dear friend Steve. Some of his model builds were featured in Scale Model Builders Book in Black and White. In the book, he described his model-building avocation.)



He was also a family man and loved dearly by his Son and Daughter and his Wife Patricia. 

Seeing Gene's FB posts was always a privilege and a great joy to me. He would often visit eateries and ordered pizza many many times, and sometimes bars where he would often have a photograph taken with his signature drink, a Bloody Mary. Gene really lived Life to the full and all could see his sincerity and kindness. People loved him and he seemed to make fast friends easily.

I often left messages in comments on his posts and interacted with him like that for almost 2 years.
The saddest thing for me is we did not actually sit and talk online ever. Though he passed away suddenly on June 12th 2018, the echoes of his Life linger on and I can still see his sincere smile in my minds eye. 


It was the love of kit building that allowed our paths to cross and for that I am truly grateful. 
I now will no longer see his vibrant and cheerful posts on my Facebook feed.
I now will no longer see his progress on various complex kit projects he was working on. 
His Hobby space is empty of his presence. Such is the way of Life, things end as all things must.


In my own way I want to honour Gene, so I am going to start the build on a military kit I had picked up several years ago. I will take plenty of progress photos as the build goes along. It will be my farewell to a Legend among kit builders.


One of Genes quotes really stuck with me, so here it is.


"Building a model for me is a return to my carefree, halcyon days of my boyhood. It is an errant wish that sometime, somewhere on a summer night as I build, that I may not have to grow old. And I smile, even for a moment, as I finish the kit and relive the sheer joy of holding history in my hands. Of course I will grow old, but I will have a lot of fun as I journey along." Gene Simko.

Eugene Stephen "Gene" Simko


In closing I will say this. Live like you only have a day left. Hug the people you love and make it clear you care. Dont be afraid to reach out to someone. You never know how long they will be around.

It is the things you dont do that you regret the most. 

Till next time Hobby Zoners... Farewell!