Paul Chadason of West Palm Beach, Florida, loving husband of Janie McGrory, passed away on March 21, 2026, in Ushuaia, Argentina, at the age of 74. While en route to Antarctica with his brother Mark Chadason, Paul experienced a sudden cardiac emergency. True to his spirit, he remained fully himself to the very end—offering jokes and lifting the hearts of those around him even as he was being prepared for surgery.
Paul was born in Wroclaw, Poland in 1951 and came of age under a Communist regime he would ultimately leave behind. In 1968, he made the courageous decision to defect in pursuit of freedom. By 1969, he had made his way to Brooklyn, New York, arriving with little more than determination, resilience, and his remarkable talent.
A gifted athlete, Paul had already distinguished himself in swimming and water polo, he qualified for the Polish Olympic team. In New York, a chance encounter changed the course of his life. While training on his own at the Prospect Park YMCA, he was spotted by a coach from St. Francis College and awarded a full scholarship. He went on to serve as co-captain of the swim team in his senior year. During the summers, he worked as a lifeguard at Rockaway Beach, where he forged friendships that would endure for the rest of his life.
Despite arriving in the United States with limited English and learning the language while in college, Paul excelled academically. He earned a degree in Physics in 1974, went on to work at New York Ocean Science Laboratories, and later pursued an MBA at the Polytechnic Institute of New York.
Paul built a successful career in New York City as an executive specializing in the design of incentive plans and compensation systems, working with organizations including American Express, MSC, and Continuum Health Partners that managed several New York City hospitals. He also shared his expertise as an adjunct professor at Long Island University in Brooklyn, dedicating many evenings to teaching. Later, while living in Boston, Paul continued his professional work with Tufts Health Plan and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Athletics remained a central part of his life. Paul became an All-American triathlete in his age group and, in 2008, was part of a team that won a world triathlon championship in Mexico City—a reflection of the discipline and competitive spirit that stayed with him throughout his life. He and Janie competed in triathlons together in New York and Boston and shared a love of golf.
Paul had a passion for travel and embraced life fully. Over the years, he and Janie explored much of Europe, including Poland, Slovakia, The Czech Republic, and Hungary. With his brother Mark Chadason often stationed abroad, Paul made a point of visiting him in Nepal, India, Tunisia, Sweden, and Greece. Paul made friends easily wherever he went, naturally drawn to people and always ready with a story, a laugh, to lighten the moment.
He was also a man of quiet generosity. In recent years, Paul volunteered with Take Stock in Children, mentoring a young student, and he and Janie sponsored a child through the Cambodian Children’s Fund. He was deeply aware of the homeless in the West Palm Beach area, and often prepared and distributed sandwiches to help those in need.
Though raised Catholic, Paul developed a personal spirituality shaped by both experience and study. As a physicist, he was fascinated by quantum theory and embraced the idea that all people and things share a common essence—a belief he lived by, not merely contemplated.
True to his nature, Paul’s final journey was as bold and adventurous as he was -leaving us at the far edge of the world en route to Antarctica.
Paul was predeceased by his parents, Halina and Zenon, and is survived by his loving wife, Janie McGrory; his brother, Mark, and sister-in-law, Sara; his nieces, Kathryn (Garrett Hughes) and Amanda Chadason; and his extended families, including his father-in-law, Frank McGrory; his sister-in-law, Diane (Patrick Barr); and his brothers-in-law, David (Gretchen), Thomas (Karen Mangiacotti), and Timothy; as well as many other dear relatives and friends.
A committal service will be held on April 11, 2026, at 11:00 am at Woodlawn Cemetery, 148 Brook Street, Wellesley, MA. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 12:00 pm at St. John the Evangelist Church, 9 Glen Road, Wellesley, MA. A celebration of life will follow at 1:00 pm at Brae Burn Country Club, 326 Fuller Street, Newton, MA
(Dress Code at country club: no denim or jeans).
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Take Stock in Children: https://www.takestockinchildren.org/donate/