Francis A. “Frank” DePaola, 64, of West Bridgewater passed away December 7, 2019 surrounded by his loving family.
Born in Brockton, MA, the son of the late Virginia (Buckley) and Raymond DePaola, Frank was a 1973 graduate of Brockton High School, and then earned a degree in Civil Engineering from Southeastern Massachusetts University (now UMass Dartmouth). He continued his education at Northeastern to receive his Masters.
Frank had a storied career in service to Massachusetts, particularly the infrastructure maintaining the state’s sewers, waters, railways and roads. Starting at the MWRA and culminating in becoming the Secretary of Transportation for the State of Massachusetts and general manager of the MBTA, Frank retired to private industry, choosing to work for AECOM.
In his private life Frank will be remembered for his wit and caring nature. He was most happy while enjoying the simple things in life such as mowing his lawn, watching the Patriots and the Red Sox, and enjoying a cold beer with his family on the back deck of his summer home in Falmouth. Frank also enjoyed puttering, solving problems, and providing directions to all who ever asked for assistance.
Frank is survived by his devoted wife of 41 years Donna (Cahill) DePaola from West Bridgewater, whom he met in college, and whom he adored and shared love, laughter, and life’s best adventures; his two daughters Kristen (DePaola) Coyne, wife of Dr. Robert Coyne from West Warwick, RI, and Kathryn DePaola, wife of Geoffrey Wong from Belmont, MA. They were the lights of his life. In addition to his sister Debora DePaola of Brockton, MA, Frank is also survived by an aunt, numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, lifelong friends and cousins. So many cousins.
Visiting hours will be held in the Conley Funeral Home 138 Belmont Street (rte.123) Brockton on Thursday December 12 from 4-8pm. The procession will gather at the funeral home on Friday at 9 am for a Funeral Mass in St. Ann Church West Bridgewater at 10am. Burial in Pine Hill Cemetery, W. Bridgewater. In lieu of flowers, donations in Frank’s memory may be given to research at “BIDMC” via “Prostate Cancer Research Fund”, in care of Dr. Glenn Bubley at 330 Brookline Avenue, CLS 449, Boston, MA 02215.