Sheldon D. Paradis Jr.

RAYMOND, N.H. — Sheldon D. "Shank" Paradis, Jr. 68, of Raymond, and a former longtime resident of Haverhill, died Friday, Sept. 26, 2008 at Wingate at Haverhill.

Born in Haverhill, son of the late Sheldon D. Sr. and Natalie (Resvan) Paradis, he attended local schools and graduated from Haverhill High School in 1958. He attended Boston College and the University of Massachusetts and was employed for over 30 years as an insurance and securities broker for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.

An avid athlete all of his life, Shank was a three year letterman and member of the 1955 Haverhill High School State Football Championship Team. He was also a member of the football teams at Boston College and University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

He was a well-known runner and participated in numerous marathons including the Boston Marathon, Marine Corps Marathon and the Nip-Muck Marathon. In his later years, he became a bi-athlete, competing in the "Wild Man" Bi-athalon, considered to be one of the most difficult athletic events in New England and placed in the top three for his age bracket in three out of six years of competition.

He extended his athletic contribution to coaching football for Timberlane Regional High School from 1968 until 1970 and Haverhill Youth Football from 1970 until 1978, as well as coaching baseball in the Merrimac Babe Ruth League for several years. He also served as a football referee for several area leagues in his later years.

A member and past-president of the Haverhill Kiwanis Club, he was also a member of the Haverhill Bi-Centennial Committee, Saint John the Baptist Parish and the Knights of Columbus.

Survivors include his wife, Eileen T. Devlin, two sons, Sheldon D. "Shank" Paradis, III, of Berlin, Germany and Sean Paradis of Seabrook, N.H., two daughters, Lisa Paradis-MacGregor and her husband Rob of Bolton, and Jessica J. Paradis of Salisbury, two brothers and sisters-in-law, Wayne and Sandra Paradis of Canton, Ohio, and Brian and Maureen Paradis of Brookline, NH, grandchildren, Otto Paradis, Siobhan Paradis, Connor MacGregor, Bennett MacGregor, Grace Paradis, Madigan Paradis, and Jackson Paradis, three step-children, Beth, Andrea and Ryan Melnikas, and several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

ARRANGEMENTS: Relatives and friends may call on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Berube-Comeau Funeral Home, 47 Broadway, Haverhill. His funeral will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008 at 9 a.m. from the funeral home with a Mass of Christian burial at 10 a.m. in Saint John The Baptist Church, Lincoln Avenue, Haverhill. A private family burial service will take place in Saint Patrick's Cemetery at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to The Sports Legacy Institute at Boston University, 230 Third Ave, Waltham, MA 02451.