Gene Hatem

Lawrence Police Detective Sergeant Gene Hatem, passed away on Wednesday April 26, 2023 at Ana Jaques Hospital in Newburyport with his family and friends by his side. Gene was born in Lawrence the son of the late Eugene and Rita Hatem. He was lifelong parishioner of St. Anthony Maronite Catholic Church in Lawrence. Gene was educated in the Lawrence School system and graduated from the Greater Lawrence Technical High School. He was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern New Hampshire University and was a certified Master Electrician. Early in his career he worked at Raytheon Company in Andover.

Gene was appointed to the Lawrence Police Department on October 11, 1980, and served as a patrolman and later was promoted to the Detective Division. He was appointed Detective Sergeant on February 2, 1991 and was twice named Policeman of the Year. Until his retirement on December 31, 2012, Gene worked extensively with the Drug Task Force Unit, the Massachusetts State Police, the DEA, Northern Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council ("NEMLEC") and was assigned to the Secret Service Presidential Detail. Gene was appointed by the late Governor Paul Cellucci as the Commonwealth's Director of the Bureau of Special Investigations, and from 2013 to 2019, he was the Public Safety Director at Northern Essex Community College. 

Gene is survived by his wife Cindy (Derby) Hatem of Salisbury, MA. Daughters: Laura and her husband Shawn Dill and their children Shawn James and Alexis Rose of Methuen. Alyson and her husband, Rani Najdi and their daughter Maya Willow, born Friday, April 28, 2023, of Windham, NH and Sarah Feugill and her husband, Paul Dean of Arlington, VA. Siblings, Thomas Hatem and his wife Diane of Methuen, Mrs. Christine Perrone of Methuen and Kenneth and his wife Carol Hatem of Methuen. Gene is also survived by several nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and police brothers and sisters.

Friends and colleagues may call Wednesday, May 10, 2023, from 9:00 am to 10:45 am at FARRAH FUNERAL HOME, 133 Lawrence St; Lawrence, MA 01841. A funeral Liturgy will follow at 11:00 am at St. Anthony Maronite Church, 145 Amesbury St; Lawrence, MA 01841. Cremation will follow. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.