Paul Vincent Downey, 75, of Marion, died on Sunday August 29, 2004, after a brief illness. He was the devoted husband of Gilda Pietragalla Downey.
Born in Freetown, he was the son of the late John J. and Florence M. (Bosworth) Downey. He was a graduate of Fairhaven High School. He joined the United States Army in 1949, serving with the 82nd Airborne Division in intelligence and electronics. His distinguished military career occasioned him to travel all over Europe, serving in England, Scotland, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Greece, and Germany, where he was stationed for five years, becoming fluent in the German language. In 1967 he was commissioned as a chief warrant officer and was assigned to Fort Walker, Texas. Mr. Downey completed one tour of duty in the Korean conflict and two tours of duty in Vietnam. He received numerous decorations and citations during the course of his military career. He also toured the country as a third baseman with the United States Army softball team.
Following his retirement from the Army in 1970, he enrolled in Bristol Community College and went on to earn a bachelors degree in journalism from Southeastern Massachusetts University in 1974, graduating summa cum laude. As a student, he covered S.M.U. sports for the New Bedford Standard-Times. He also had been employed as a technical writer for TransCom Electronics in Portsmouth, RI.
In 1973, he met Gilda Pietragalla, whom he eventually married and formed a new family with her and her daughter, Antoinette "Toni" Graham. Since 1979, they have owned and operated Gilda's Stone Rooster in Marion, a lounge and eatery that enjoys legendary status in the jazz world, having presented many world class jazz performers over the years.
Mr. Downey was a member of the Blinded Veterans Association and the Disabled American Veterans. He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Marion. In 1981, he became a founding member of the Marion Social Club.
Even more than his many achievements and accomplishments, Mr. Downey was liked and admired for his sense of humor, wit, intelligence, and devotion to his family. He will be sorely missed by all the patrons of the Stone Rooster, to whom he was known as "The Hammer"." His was truly a unique persona.
Survivors include his widow; his daughter, Antoinette "Toni" Graham and her companion Michael Monty of Westport; five brothers, John Downey and his wife Ella of El Paso, Texas, Joseph Downey of Red Bluff, CA., James Downey and his wife Joy of Thousand Oaks, CA., Thomas Downey of Los Angeles, and Frank Downey and his wife Pauline of Tiverton, R.I.
He was the brother of the late Lawrence Downey.
Funeral from the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett Thursday September 2, 2004 at 9 AM.Funeral Mass at St. Anthony's Church at at 10 AM.Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Visiting hours will be on Wednesday Septemebr 1, 2004 from 2-4 and 7-9 PM. Burial with Military Honors will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, New Bedford. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Blinded Veterans Association, 477 H. Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20001-2694, or the American Macular Degeneration Foundation, P.O. Box 515, Northampton, MA 01061-0515.