Paul Eli Soulliere, 92, of Westboro, MA, passed away on July 23 at his home. He leaves two daughters, Joan Soulliere Denshaw of Pittsburgh, PA, and Marie Chieppo of Needham, MA, and a son, Robert Soulliere, of Alexandria, VA. He also leaves six grandchildren, Maeve and Ian Denshaw, Michael and Olivia Chieppo, and Lucille and Benjamin Soulliere. His wife, Lucille (Michaud) Soulliere, died in 1990 after a four-year battle with cancer.
Paul was born August 29, 1921 in Worcester, to Paul Edelmar and Corona Flora (Belisle) Soulliere, and had a sister, Jeanne Marie Soulliere, a teacher and businesswoman, who died in 1964. He attended Blessed Sacrament Grammar School and Classical High School, and graduated in 1943 from Holy Cross College with a B.S. in Business Administration. He attended Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences until he was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy in 1943. He spent three years in reserve and active duty during World War II. From November 1943 to July 1945 he was based with P.T. boats on several South Pacific islands, including Guadalcanal and Leyte, and won two battle stars. He returned to Bayonne, NJ in August 1945 and was released from active duty in July 1946 as a Second Lieutenant.
Upon graduation from Harvard Business School in 1948, he joined his father at Brown and Soulliere Insurance Agency in Worcester, MA, and later also owned a commercial acceptance corporation, and became President of Bancroft Drug Co, which ran a Liggett Drug Store. Paul also owned and operated numerous commercial and residential real estate properties throughout the Worcester area, including 60 Franklin Street, where the agency was located.
In the 1950s he became involved in civic affairs and as a private citizen or member of the Worcester City Council, was a member of numerous bodies, including Worcester Chamber of Commerce Downtown Parking Committee, Public Works Committee, Off-Street Parking Board, and Worcester Retirement Board, and in the 1970s was a Director of the Worcester Public Library. During this time Paul was involved in several signal events in Worcester's development and history; as councilmember, he was heavily involved in cleanup and restoration in the wake of the devastating 1955 tornado, not making it back home for three days.
Other civic and professional involvement included the Harmony Club of Worcester, Young Businessmen's Association of Worcester, Holy Cross Club, Harvard Club, V.F.W. John Powers Post, Worcester Insurance Society, Worcester Board of Insurance Underwriters, First Friday Club of Worcester, Conseil Franchere, La Societe D'Artisans, La Societe L'Assomption, and the Fitton Society at Holy Cross College. He was a corporator of Bay State Savings Bank and a member of Professional Insurance Agents.
In his youth, Paul was an enthusiastic swimmer and skater, spending summers with his family at a house the owned on Lake Quinsigamond. Later in life, he enjoyed traveling, and embarked on several cruises, including to the Caribbean and to Alaska, and maintained a residence in Fort Lauderdale, FL, where he spent winters since 1991.
A funeral Mass will be held on Monday, July 28th at 12:30 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament Church, 551 Pleasant Street in Worcester. Burial will follow at Notre Dame Cemetery in Worcester. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to the American Cancer Society. Alfred Roy & Sons Funeral Home in Worcester is directing arrangements.