May 30, 1937 - May 10, 2026: Paul Marinaccio of Orleans, MA passed away Sunday after a lifetime dedicated to learning, loving his family, and searching for truth and beauty.
Paul was born to Joseph and Jennie (Zelick) Marinaccio in Stratford, Connecticut, where he began his lifelong interest and passion for learning. From a young age, Paul was running chemistry experiments from his basement and after hours in the high school lab. Paul pursued higher education in this field, graduating from Fairfield University in 1959 and earning his Master’s in Physical Chemistry from Purdue University in 1961.
Paul was dedicated to bettering mankind through research and innovation, and he had many achievements in the field of chemistry. He held 26 U.S. patents, the most notable of which was the Nylon Microporous Membrane, which became foundational technology for the medical advancement of filtration, sterile pharmaceutical processing, dialysis, and water purification. In addition, he was a member of a variety of scientific bodies, including the Industrial Research Institute, Board of Directors Society Plastics Engineers, New York Academy of Sciences, and an emeritus member of the American Chemical Society.
Paul married his high school sweetheart Eleanor (Ellie) Nakoneczny on June 20, 1959, often marveling at how a phone call made with a single nickel led to their 56-year marriage and the three generations of their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren that came from their love. Paul and Ellie enjoyed a beautiful life together until her passing in 2015, during which he quietly showed his family what it means to truly care for someone “in sickness and in health”. One of the highlights of Paul and Ellie’s time together was retiring to Cape Cod in 1985, a place where they considered themselves “Washashores” and a move that they described as feeling as though they had come home.
Paul remained active throughout his retirement, particularly in the Orleans community. He helped set up the first Orleans water quality testing laboratory, served on the Board of Directors for Meeting House Pond, was a member of the Association for Preservation of Cape Cod and the Friends of Pleasant Bay, where he was instrumental in creating the Pleasant Bay Alliance. In addition, Paul was a proud member of the Holly Berry Bazaar Woodworkers for more than 25 years.
Paul pursued many hobbies and interests in retirement as well, and many who knew him felt like there was nothing he couldn’t teach himself to do, from woodworking and boatbuilding to sailing and flying model airplanes. He also enjoyed fishing, hunting, golf, gardening, and birdwatching, and he was an exceptional cook. As a lifelong learner, Paul never stopped studying. He enjoyed research in the fields of history, physics, and astronomy and continued to run experiments out of his basement in Orleans.
To the people closest to him, Paul was known as Dad, Papa, and Great Papa, and he could not have been prouder of his three sons, his cherished daughters-in-law, his nine adored grandchildren, and the seven great-grandchildren that he was delighted to know. He will be forever remembered as a kind and decent man by his sons Mark Marinaccio and his wife Sheila of Sandwich, MA; Brett Marinaccio and his wife Barbara of Concord, MA; and Todd Marinaccio and his wife Karen of Hollis, NH. His grandchildren Michael, Nicole, Lynnzie, Alex, Cory, Joshua, Greg, Will, and Brian have fond memories of watching sunrises on Nauset Beach, cooking globally-inspired cuisine, taking trips to the penny candy store, and learning to catch blue crabs and clams with their Papa; and his great-grandchildren Rylee, Samuel, Daniel, Payton, Cole, Remi, and Avery have been lucky enough to share in some of those traditions. Paul will be deeply missed by his longtime companion Suzy Crawford of Orleans, MA, who has been part of the family for the last 10 years and who brought him a great deal of joy, love, and comfort during the time they spent together. Paul is also survived by his brother Richard Marinaccio and his wife Pat in Arizona, as well as eight nieces and nephews. He will be missed by many friends and extended family members.
Most of all, Paul enjoyed sharing his knowledge and the beauty of the world, especially Cape Cod, with each generation of his family. It was important to him that his family knew just how much he loved them, and his wish to those he leaves behind is that they continue to live a wonderful life. His family plans to honor his own wonderful life at a later date.