Eugene "Gene" E. Bried, Sr., a longtime Amityville resident and captain of the Amityville Fire Department's Hose #1 company from 1957-1959, died in Morehead City, North Carolina on June 19, 2008. The loving husband, father and grandfather was 87. Mr. Bried moved to Amityville in the late 1940s with his wife Virginia and the couple raised their children here. They lived on Ocean Avenue for more than 40 years. A homebuilder, he constructed many local homes and also worked at Grumman Aircraft as a maintenance assistant in 1973. He was a 19-year member of the Amityville Fire Department, serving from 1950 to 1969. "Gene was a wonderful guy and fireman," said Jack Robertson of Amityville, who knew him for about 20 years and worked with him in the Fire Department. "We used to run the old pumper together - he was a dedicated fireman and a teddy bear of a man."

Mr. Bried continued to remodel homes after he moved to Antrim, New Hampshire, and taught woodworking at the New England Technical Institute.He retired to Lake Hartwell, Georgia in 1984 and moved in 2003 to Morehead City, New Hampshire, to live closer to his son. In addition to being devoted to the Amityville Fire Department, he was also a member of Amityville's Masonic Lodge and organized the Junior Naval Cadets in Amityville. A pilot, Mr. Bried held his private license until he was 80-years-old, according to his family. During his time in Georgia, he was a member of the Electric City Harmonizers, the Hartwell Tailspinners and the Lake Hartwell Antique Boat Association.

Mr. Bried leaves behind his wife of 66 years, Virginia; his children: Judith Boyd of Pittsfield, New Hampshire, John of Morehead City, New Hampshire, James of Hudson, Florida and Eugene Jr. of Forrest, Virginia; his 13 grandchildren; and 14 great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his daughter, Julia and his parents, Nate and Elizabeth. A private service was held by the family. Arrangements were under the care of the Munden Funeral Home in Morehead City, North Carolina. Donations in Mr. Bried's name can be sent to the American Heart Association, Memorial Processing Center, P.O. Box 5216, Glen Allen, Virginia 23058-5216.