Paul M. Fleuriel Jr.

1935 - 2022

Paul M. Fleuriel, Jr.

Whately, MA — Paul M. Fleuriel, Jr., 87, passed away July 10, 2022, at Blaire House of Worcester after battling Alzheimer's disease for several years. The son of Paul M. and Elizabeth (Hamilton) Fleuriel, he was born in Lynn, Mass., on May 21, 1935.

Paul attended schools in Saugus, Mass., and then attended Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass Amherst, majoring in floriculture. After graduation he worked for LaSalle Florist in Whately. He then worked for several years in highway construction, building sections of I-91, I-495, I-95, and Route 6 on Cape Cod. In the early 1980s he started his own business, Pioneer Explosives & Supply, which he ran until 2006. He was a member and past president of the New England Society of Explosives Engineers, and a member of the International Society of Explosives Engineers. In 1997, he was appointed by Governor Weld to the Board of Fire Prevention Regulation, which includes oversight of the blasting industry.

Paul was active in Whately politics, serving in many capacities, including volunteer firefighter, muster team member, town civil defense director, conservation commission member, zoning board of appeals member, and Tri-Town Beach commission member. He was town moderator for 30 years. As a water commissioner, he was instrumental in creation of two town water supplies: the Whately Water District in the center of town in the 1960s, when the former Allis Water District was scheduled to be discontinued; and the municipal water system serving the eastern side of town in the 1980s, which required doggedly working to secure state and federal resources after private wells were discovered to be contaminated with agricultural chemicals that had been previously certified as safe.

Paul was also very involved with his community in other ways. His first and longest leadership role was with Boy Scout Troop 64, which he started and led for two generations of boys; for long after, he and many others in town enjoyed sharing their cherished memories of Appalachian Trail hikes, winter "freeze outs", paper drives, games of capture the flag, and story-telling around the campfire. He was devoted to his church, serving as a Eucharistic minister, lector, and choir member. He enjoyed playing Santa Claus at Christmas time, in the costume expertly crafted by his wife "Kit,"; for several years "Santa" made his appearance with sleigh bells in hand at family parties, the Channing Bete Company Christmas party, and at many a child's doorstep on Christmas Eve. Both while working and in retirement, he was always willing and eager to lend others a helping hand, and to help with maintaining the cemetery whenever the need arose. He enjoyed many hobbies, including doing volunteer maintenance on the H.M.S. Bounty in Fall River with the Hampshire Sailing Club, model boat building, painting, wood and sign carving, and birdhouse building.

Paul cherished his Sunday dinners and other gatherings with family. He leaves his wife of 66 years, Katherine (Kennedy) Fleuriel; his son Daniel and wife Janice in Buckland; his daughter Ellen and husband Ed Johnson in Westmoreland, New Hampshire; his daughter Lisa and husband Michael Moore in Whately; and his sister Juliette Fleuriel in Rockingham, Vermont. He also leaves seven grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother, Pierre Fleuriel, and his son, Paul M. Fleuriel III.

Calling hours will be at Wrisley Funeral Home, 90 Sugarloaf Street, South Deerfield on Friday, July 15, from 5 to 7 p.m. and on Saturday, July 16, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. A funeral mass will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 16, at Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, 29 Sugarloaf St., South Deerfield, Mass, followed by burial at Whately Center Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that contributions in Paul's memory be made to NELCWIT (17 Long Avenue, Greenfield, MA 01301 or nelcwit.org/donate), the Alzheimer's Association (alz.org), or the American Cancer Society (cancer.org/involved/donate/memorial-giving.html).