Gene N. Tanselli

Published in The Oregonian on 7/5/2009

Tanselli, Gene N. 80 2/4/1929 - 6/26/2009

Gene Tanselli passed away peacefully in Corvallis with his wife of 50 years at his side. People will remember him for his love of family, baseball, golf and a good cigar. His sense of humor and great personality is what he leaves behind to all who knew him.

His life began in 1929 in Portland, the son of Lena and Pasquale Tanselli. Gene graduated from Jefferson High School in 1947, where he lettered in baseball and basketball. He attended Oregon State College where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

After graduating from OSC in 1951, Gene played professional baseball for the Salem Senators of the Northwest League, then onto the San Diego Padres and the Tulsa Oilers.
Gene began his coaching and teaching career at Franklin High School in Portland in 1956.

He married Joan Belcher in 1958. They moved to Vancouver, where he coached at Clark Junior College. His final stop was Oregon State University, where he began teaching in the physical education department and was an assistant to Ralph Coleman with the baseball team from 1962 to 1965; Gene was head baseball coach for the Beavers from 1966 to 1972. He finished his career working in the PE department until his retirement in 1989.

Gene was a gifted athlete, coach and educator. He resided in the Corvallis area from 1962 until the time of his death. Some of Gene's proudest moments are when he was chosen to play in the annual Esquire All-American Boy's baseball game at Wrigley Field in Chicago. His coach was Ty Cobb.

Gene was inducted into the OSU Sports Hall of Fame and the Portland Interscholastic League (PIL) Hall of Fame.

Gene is survived by his wife, Joan; daughter and son-in-law, Lia and Montie Watson, and grandchildren, Aaron and Avery of Midland, Texas; son and daughter-in-law, Paul and Cori, and grandchildren, Mitchell, McKenna, Kaitlynn and Hannah of Lebanon; and son, Lou Tanselli of Philomath.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents; and brother, Phillip. A private family service will be held. Please join the family from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 12, 2009, for a celebration of life at the Corvallis Country Club, 1850 S.W. Whiteside Drive.

Remembrances may be made in memory of Gene Tanselli to the OSU Foundation Baseball Fund, c/o OSU Foundation, 850 S.W. 35th St., Corvallis, OR 97333; or to Benton County Hospice in care of DeMoss-Durdan Funeral Home, 815 N.W. Buchanan Ave., Corvallis, OR 9733