SPRUCE HEAD — Eugene Herbert Goss, 65, died peacefully Sept. 19, 2013, surrounded by his family at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

Born in Rockland Jan. 6, 1948, he was the son of Donald and Marion (Mullen) Goss. He graduated from Rockland District High School in 1966 and Maine Maritime Academy in 1970. Gene has been married to his high school sweetheart, Marie (Staples) Goss, for 44 years. Gene and Marie raised their family in Rockport, moving to Spruce Head 12 years ago.

As a merchant marine for Gulf Oil, he traveled from Maine to Japan, Korea, South America, California and Texas. When not working, Gene enjoyed traveling the country with family and friends. One memorable three-week trip to California and back included three flat tires, a lost wheel, a broken battery, a broken refrigerator, a bad alternator and a number of wrong turns; through it all they remained good friends forever. The family spent many fun holiday weekends and good times in Deer Isle with the Shepard and Kolmosky families, boating, clamming and playing pick-up softball games. Summer weekends were spent on Senebec Lake with family and friends waterskiing, and winter weekends snowmobiling. Gene and his family also enjoyed traveling during school vacations to Washington, D.C., and Florida. His favorite places to visit were Sanibel Island, Fla., and Prince Edward Island, Canada, having recently been on vacation to PEI with his daughter and granddaughters.

He loved cars from an early age, especially Corvettes. Friends often joked with him about how many he had at a time, never wanting to give one up. During his time off from Gulf Oil he sold and reconditioned cars with his brother, Richard, at Maverick Square Garage.

He began his long working career with a job at a very early age, working as a paper boy. He was a licensed stationary steam engineer. During Gene's career he was a chief engineer for Gulf Oil, director of facilities at the Osteopathic Hospital in Waterville, chief engineer at Gorbel Thermo Wood Burning Power Plant in Skowhegan and recently retired from more than 17 years as chief engineer at Maine State Prison. After retiring in 2012, Gene discovered, to the surprise of everyone, he enjoyed cooking and creating meals. He always liked to make things look attractive and enjoyed decorating for the seasons.

He spent more than 20 years as a volunteer and member of the Maine Lobster Festival Board, serving as president in 1999. He was a member and treasurer of the Maine Maritime Academy Alumni as well as the Masons.

He was predeceased by his parents; and his brother, Richard Goss. Gene is survived by his wife, Marie of Spruce Head; his son, Christopher of Stratham, N.H.; his daughter, Dawn Borden and her husband, Ted, and their daughters, Meredith and Amanda of Sherborn, Mass. His mother-in-law, Charlotte (Murphy) Staples of Spruce Head; his sister-in-law, Debra Goss of Owls Head; his cousins, Shelia (Vinal) and her husband, Floyd Montgomery, of Rockland, and Barbara (Vinal) and her husband, Don Riley, of New Harbor; and many nieces and nephews, Jenna and Al Wood and their children, Devon and Ethan, of Alabama, Justin and Dawn Goss and their daughter, Madelyn, of Florida, Tania and Daniel Kingsbury and their children, Cameron, Anna and Conner, of Port Clyde, Jeremy and Heather Treneer and their children, Brady and Emma, of Bucksport, Eric and Holly Seibold and their children, Shaylynn, Reese and Rowdie, of California, Jason and Laurie Chapman and their children, Cole and Kyleigh, of Washington, Andrew and Vanessa Chapman and their children, Keenan and Mason, of Waldoboro, and Jeremy and Effie Seibold and their son, Atticus, of Colorado. Gene also leaves many good friends, both old and new some, the latter of which he made in his last weeks at Brigham and Women's.

Family and friends are invited to visit Friday, Sept. 27, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock St. in Rockland. A celebration of his life will be held Saturday, Sept. 28, at 2 p.m. at Rockland Congregational Church, 180 Limerock St. The Rev. Seth D. Jones will officiate.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Kno-Wal-Lin Home Care and Hospice, 170 Pleasant Street, Rockland, ME 04841.

To share a memory or condolence with Gene's family, visit his Book of Memories online at the funeral home.