Loving father and devoted husband, Paul R. O’Donnell Jr. died peacefully on October 2nd in Folsom California at the age of 78 following a courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease. He was preceded in death by his wife Laura E. Messier in 2005, and his parents Paul Richard O’Donnell and Virginia Lee Ramsdell.
A longtime resident of the Southeastern Massachusetts area, Paul was born in Ossining New York August 19th, 1935. He received his undergraduate training at Columbia University and earned Master’s degrees in Business Administration and Computer Science.
Paul was a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During that time he logged over 6600 combat flight hours during the Vietnam War. He retired from active duty after 22 years of honorable service. Following his career in the military he worked as a computer systems analyst for the University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth MA.
Paul enjoyed traveling- particularly in Europe where he lived and worked for several years during his military service. As an avid aviation and railroad enthusiast, he enjoyed taking his son and daughter to air shows and historic railroad venues across the western United States.
In 2011 Paul moved to California to be closer to his daughter and grandchildren. In the loving care and support of his family, Paul continued to attend air shows and ride on the locomotives that he loved so much.
He is survived by his daughter LeeAnn Scheuring and her family, husband Glenn and children Sarah, Kathryn, Rachel and Nicholas Scheuring of Placerville CA, his son John O’Donnell and his family, wife Juliet and children Declan , Aidan and Caitlin O’Donnell of Voluntown CT and his sister Joyce Arsenault of Ashburnham MA, and his nieces and nephew Noel, Celeste and Stephan.
Gone but not forgotten.
His Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday October 10, 2012 at 11:30 AM at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. The family will receive visitors prior to the service beginning at 11 AM. Burial will follow in the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (www.michaeljfox.org). For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.