Eugene Hunter Dryden, a lifelong citizen of San Marino and third-generation Californian, passed away peacefully on New Year’s Eve due to complications from a stroke he suffered in 2018. He was 86.
Gene attended Valentine Elementary School and Huntington Middle School before graduating in 1951 from what was then known as San Marino/SouthPasadena High School. He graduated Tau Beta Pi from California Institute of Technology with a BS degree in Electrical Engineering in 1955, earning his MS degree in Electrical Engineering in 1956.
Dryden served the San Marino community in almost every possible way, including several years on the San Marino Planning Commission and three terms on the San Marino City Council from 1988 – 2001, where he was mayor from 1992 – 1994.
Among his other accomplishments, Gene was an Honorary Rotary Paul Harris Fellow, received the City of San Marino’s Distinguished Citizen Award, chaired the campaign to rebuild and rededicated the San Marino War Memorial in Lacy Park, received recognition from the State of California Senate for his dedication and service to the City of San Marino, and was co-chair of the San Marino Centennial Committee.
Gene is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Ann; his daughter, Laurie Modean (Paul) of San Marino, and grandchildren Hunter and Gracie; and son Jim (Michelle) of Oak Park and grandchildren Pifer, Kathleen, Gillian and Padraig. Details surrounding the memorial service at San Marino Community Church for Mr. Dryden, as well as a complete obituary will follow in next week’s Tribune and will be available at sanmarinotribune.com.
