Paul F Skowronski

Paul Skowronski 65, passed away peacefully on April 23, 2022, after a long and brave battle with COPD. He is survived by his husband Kenneth Arruda of Wilton Manors, FL. They spent nearly 24 years together, relocating from Boston to Wilton Manors in October of 2020.
Paul was born in Pittsfield, MA, and was a graduate of Taconic High School. He went on to earn his Bachelor's Degree in Economics at Williams College. He moved to the Boston area after graduation and embarked on a career in financial planning and analysis. He was employed at number of companies over the years, including General Electric, Dynamics Research Corporation, GTE, and Putnam Investments. He also earned a Master's Degree in Business Administration at Bentley College in 1991, graduating summa cum laude.

Paul was a person of deep inner strength and character. He held strong convictions which sometimes came off as stubbornness but were always grounded in a deeply rooted sense of fairness and righteousness, guided by a strong moral compass, and sense of fair play. Nothing made him more instantly angry than someone "not waiting their turn", cutting in line, driving aggressively, or disregarding the rules. He never backed down from defending his positions and loved to debate. He was especially passionate about injustice, social and otherwise in all its forms (he was also a strong animals' rights advocate). He was truly a good and kind-hearted person touching new and old friends alike.

Paul was very smart, quick witted, with a dry sense of humor, and was unwaveringly loyal to those he considered to be close friends. Although he was slightly introverted, Paul enjoyed being around people. He loved to get together with friends, go out to dinner, have fun, and equally enjoyed staying home and spending quiet evenings watching TV or a movie. He was also a person of deep faith and was very connected and an active participant of the Trinity Church community in Boston as well as his new spiritual home, St Mark's Episcopal Church in Fort Lauderdale.
Paul's life's journey took a number of unfortunate turns with serious health challenges. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2006, underwent a year of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery to remove the tumor. He faced this with incredible determination and resolve, never once complaining, nor missing a single day of work, except for days he was in active treatment or surgery. He made an astounding recovery, only to be faced with another health crisis a few years later when he was diagnosed with COPD.

Through it all, he never let his medical conditions interfere with what he wanted to do. When he made his mind up to do something, he became a force of nature overcoming any obstacle in his way. We made incredible life experiences, traveling to Europe several times, enjoying riverboat cruises, visiting friends near and far, or simply going out to a beach or park. On each of trip, Paul wanted to do it all, see every museum, landmark, church and cathedral, eat in every local restaurant, and take every guided tour we could find. As we settled into our new life in Wilton Manors in 2020 his COPD progressed which meant using portable oxygen machines and wheelchairs wherever we went. He joked that "at least wheelchairs get us to the front of the line!"

Paul's life was cut far too short, and the many things that we wanted to do, will be left undone. But the way he lived his life on his own terms, and the way he handled his medical challenges, determined to maintain quality of life; was nothing short of exemplary. He has more than earned a well-deserved eternal rest in peace.

In addition to Ken, Paul is survived by his father, Francis S. Skowronski, of Wilton Manors (formerly of Pittsfield, MA), his brother Brian Skowronski, Brian's wife Susan, and their sons Tyler and Lucas Skowronski, all of Lyman ME. He leaves behind many close friends including his longtime friend, Paul Baker, of Wilton Manors. In addition, he leaves a large extended family, including his aunt, Helen Trapani, and many cousins. He is preceded by his mother, Donalda (Rostkowski) Skowronski, a lifetime resident of Pittsfield, MA

The family would like to thank the hospital and medical staff of Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale for their skillful and compassionate care of Paul, particularly the pulmonary therapists and staff at the Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Center who worked so diligently with him making a real difference in his quality of life.

A memorial mass be held on Sunday, May 15, 2022, at 1:00 PM, at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 1750 E Oakland Park Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33334, followed by an informal gathering and refreshments in the parish hall.
Memorial services will also be held at a later date at St Charles Borromeo Church, 89 Briggs Avenue in Pittsfield, MA, and Trinity Church in Copley Square, Boston, MA.

Donations in Paul's memory may be made to St Mark's Episcopal Church, 1750 E Oakland Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334, where he was active an active member of the Stewardship and Finance Committees and Church Guild, and was an ardent supporter of their ministries.