Leo Paul Paradis, 83, of Nashua, NH, passed away November 11, 2013, after a fulfilling life. He leaves behind his dear wife of 61 years, Rosemarie Rita (Hankard); two daughters - Patricia (Paradis) Miceli and her husband Michael of Nashua, NH, and Denise (Paradis) Blackburn and her husband Michael of Western Springs, IL. He also leaves two sons – Joseph Paradis and his wife Joanne of Londonderry NH, and Paul Paradis and his wife Corinne of Quincy MA, as well as ten grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren, and numerous other relatives and friends.
Leo was born in Arlington, MA on April 17, 1930, the fifth child of Joseph and Ernestine Paradis. He was pre-deceased by his brothers Robert, Normand, Roland, and John Paradis, and his sister Marcelle (Paradis) Hensgen and her husband Walter.
A hard worker all his life, Leo began peeling vegetables, with his brothers, for his father and uncle who owned The Lunch Cart, a popular diner in Arlington Center (MA) from the 1930s-1950s. He had a long and prosperous career in the New England fishing industry as a sales broker, manager, and business owner. If you wanted to talk fish, Leo was your guy.
Leo’s primary hobby was puttering. He thought nothing of laying down a new roof, staining the house, or building a shed. He filled every nook and cranny in his houses with some sort of homemade cabinet, closet, or storage bin.
An avid conversationalist, Leo would talk to just about anyone and made friends easily. He loved to dance, watch movies, and travel around the world with his lovely wife. They also enjoyed precious retirement years in Venice, FL with his sister Marcy and her husband Walt.
A 12:00 noon graveside service and burial will be at the family plot in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Medford St., Arlington MA 02476. Friends and family should wait in their vehicles at the cemetery chapel at 11:45 a.m. for procession to the gravesite.
Donations in Leo’s memory may be made to The Huntington at Nashua Scholarship Fund c/o The Huntington at Nashua, 55 Kent Lane, Nashua NH 03062. Leo was quite fond of the young people who worked there and cared for him and Rosemarie over the last eight years. Your support of this fund for those young people would make him very happy.