Attorney Paul Joseph Gillis of Mattapoisett and Key Biscayne, Florida, died Thursday August 11, 2011 at Massachusetts General Hospital of pancreatic cancer.
Paul was the only child of Henry L. and Janina T. (Golda) Gillis, and was born and raised in New Bedford. He attended Holy Name Grammar School, Bishop Stang High School, Providence College from which he received both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts degree, and the Evening Division of the New England School of Law graduating with a Juris Doctorate degree in 1980.
An outstanding athlete, Paul spent his high school summers as a counselor at Ted Williams Camp where he played on the travel team from the camp that played exhibition games as far away as Pennsylvania, and at the camp, he once pitched to Ted himself. While at Bishop Stang, he played on championship teams with some of the best athletes ever produced at the school and accepted an athletic scholarship to Providence College where he played one year of basketball and four years of baseball and was awarded the varsity letter in 1970.
Paul returned to Bishop Stang in 1970 and for the next ten years taught American History, was department chairman from 1976 to 1980, and coached freshman and JV basketball and Varsity baseball.
Paul hung out his shingle in June of 1980 and for the next 31 years practiced law in New Bedford.
Always energetic and athletic, Paul enjoyed all sports and being out of doors, especially when his children were younger. He enjoyed sailing his 31 foot sloop "Ariana" on Buzzards Bay and skiing at Waterville Valley in the winter. He was a member of the Ocean Club on Key Biscayne, the Country Club of New Bedford, and the Sippican Tennis Club in Marion.
Paul is survived by his beautiful wife and best friend Lynne, with whom he enjoyed the happiest years of his life. Always together, they enjoyed the simplest of pleasures from long walks, especially on the beach at Key Biscayne, to dining out, to long conversations at the end of the day, to spending time laughing and enjoying all of the grandchildren. They especially enjoyed "It's 5 o'clock somewhere" on their balcony on Key Biscayne and watching the sun set on Biscayne Bay.
Also surviving are his daughter, Elizabeth, his sons, Paul and his wife Jennifer and their twins, Liam and Lillian, David and his wife Karen and their daughter Phoebe, Daniel and his wife Lisa and their son Grady; his stepson, Dr. Paul Ponte; and his stepdaughter, Kristina Michaels and her husband Robert and their son Christian.
Paul asked that instead of sending flowers that everyone hug and kiss the ones they love and to please send a donation to Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Pancreatic Cancer Fund, Attn: Dr. Jeffrey Clark, 55 Fruit St., Boston, MA 02114.
His Funeral Service will be held on Monday at 11 AM at the Mattapoisett Congregational Church. Burial will follow in Cushing Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Sunday from 4-8PM at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.