Philip John DiPaolo, “Phil”, of Hyannis and formerly of Methuen and more recently living on Cape Cod, died peacefully on Wednesday, September 2, in Centerville.
“Fillipo”, as he was named by his Italian mother and father Guisseppe and Guissepina (Messina) DiPaolo, was born on June 28, 1923, “on the kitchen table” in Lawrence along with his twin brother Carmelo (“Carl”), who died in 2012. He was brought up on Union Street, an Italian neighborhood in Lawrence, and attended Lawrence Public Schools. In 1947, he married the love of his life, Dorothy “Dolly” Pellerin. They lived in Lawrence and later in Methuen. Phil and Dolly had two daughters, Sandra Sullivan and Joanne O’Connell, who have numerous fond memories of a wonderful family life that included camping vacations, Sundays at Salisbury Beach, extended family gatherings at “the Camp”, summers at the Cape, boating on his boat the “Dolly D”, and simple everyday things like cooking together and reading books to his grandchildren. Phil worked at Western Electric in North Andover for more than 25 years. Upon his retirement and with more time to develop his many interests and talents, he and Dolly traveled all over the world, spent much more time at the Cape, partied with their friends in Florida during the winter months, and engaged in fun activities with their four grandchildren, who all loved “Grandaddy.” In his 60’s, Phil discovered his talents as an artist, and over the next few decades painted over 100 oil paintings, many of Cape Cod seascapes and historic landmarks from Lawrence, including “Four Theaters in a Row” and “The Ayer Mill Clock.” He won many awards for his paintings which were displayed at the Massachusetts State House, Lawrence City Hall, and numerous art shows in the Greater Lawrence area.
Phil was a man who truly loved people and lived life to the fullest. Wherever he went or whomever he met, he easily spread joy and could get anyone to smile, whether it was friends and relatives at a card party, his car-pool mates, an ailing relative, a group of fellow travelers, or workers who helped him at an assisted living facility. Everybody loved Phil! He will be greatly missed by his relatives and friends, but his legacy will live on through the model he gave us all of a life well lived in so many ways.
Phil is survived by his wife, Dolly, of Centerville; daughters, Sandra Sullivan of Stoneham; Joanne O’Connell and son-in-law, Michael O’Connell, of Hyannis; grandchildren, Casey O’Connell, his wife Kelly Kodadek O’Connell, and Phil’s great-granddaughter Mya; Joe O’Connell of Hyannis; and Caitlin Sullivan and Colin Sullivan, both of Cambridge. Phil is pre-deceased by his mother and father, brother Carl, and sisters Ada, Josie, and Angie.
Phil’s wake will take place on Saturday, September 5, 2015 at Kenneth H. Pollard Funeral Home, 233 Lawrence St., Methuen MA, 9:00-10:30 AM. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Saturday, September 5, 2015 at 11:00 AM at St. Monica’s Church of Methuen. Burial will be at Elmwood Cemetery in Methuen. For directions and online guestbook, please visit the funeral home website, www.pollardfuneralhome.com.