Mr. Brantley Eugene “Gene” Furness, 77, beloved husband of the late Audrey Ayres Furness and a resident of Temperanceville, passed away Saturday, June 6, 2026.
Born Nov. 8, 1948, in Nassawadox, he was the son of the late Brantley Edward Furness and the late Helen Parks Furness.
Gene graduated from Parksley High School alongside his high school sweetheart, Audrey. The couple were married on April 12, 1968, and shared 58 wonderful years together.
Shortly after their marriage, Gene began his career with NASA. Following a brief transfer to Richmond, Gene and Audrey returned to the Eastern Shore and made their home in Temperanceville, where they raised their two sons.
Gene dedicated more than 30 years to NASA as an electronics technician. His work took him around the world, including assignments in China, Africa, and Australia, where he assisted with the launch and maintenance of weather balloons. He took great pride in his work and valued the opportunities it provided to serve and travel.
A gifted photographer, Gene had a keen eye for capturing the perfect photo and always enjoyed sharing his favorites with family and friends. In retirement, he continued to pursue his passion for photography, became more active in amateur (HAM) radio, and spent sunny afternoons on the golf course at Winter Quarters — with Audrey’s blessing, of course.
He is survived by his sons, Michael “Scott” Furness and his wife, Melissa, of Bethesda, Md., and Stephen Vincent Furness and his wife, Victoria, of Parksley; his sister, Pat Parrish and her husband, Donald, of Mears; his brother, Jimmy Colonna and his wife, Jackie, of Chester; his sister-in-law, Betty Richardson, of Parksley; his grandsons, Michael “Hugh” Furness, Derek Clark (Delaney), and Trenton Clark (Sarah); his great-grandson, Elias Clark; his nieces, Jennifer Colonna Lech (Ed) and Lindsay Bailey (Brooks); and his nephew, Jon Parrish and his son, Mason.
Funeral services will be conducted from the chapel of the Williams-Parksley Funeral Home on Saturday, June 13, at 11 a.m., with the Revs. Maury Enright and John Higginbotham officiating. There will be a visitation at the funeral home one hour prior to the service. The family will gather for private interment in the Liberty Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Gene’s memory to Oak Hall Rescue, P.O. Box 128, Oak Hall, VA 23416 or Atlantic Volunteer Fire and Rescue, P.O. Box 207, Atlantic, VA 23303.
Memory tributes may be shared at www.williamsfuneralhomes.com
Arrangements are by the Williams-Parksley Funeral Home.
