Paul Vincent Palange

SEEKONK - Paul Vincent Palange, age 66, of Seekonk, MA, passed away unexpectedly Sunday, April 4, 2021. Paul Palange took on many challenges in his life. And he met them all head-on.

This proud Syracuse University graduate began his working career as a reporter for the Woonsocket Call in 1978. Paul rose up through the ranks to become Managing Editor and then General Manager of The Call's sister paper, The Times of Pawtucket. His corporate bosses, the Journal Register Company, sent Paul to Norristown, PA in 1993 as Executive Editor to straighten out the newspaper in that town, and then Paul returned to Pawtucket as Managing Editor. Journal-Register also sent Paul to its Fall River Herald newspaper as Executive Editor. He returned to Pawtucket as Publisher of The Times in 1999 and served in that role until 2004. Palange was called upon one more time in an executive role from 2014-2017 as General Manager of both The Times and The Call, overseeing both the business and newsroom operations.

When the daily newspaper business faltered, Paul started his own monthly newspaper, the Senior Digest, in tandem with his wife Andria, who designed ads and pages. They were a great team. On the side, Paul kept busy, selling radio ads. He was always doing something. His final job came as development manager for the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, a job he held until his death on Easter Sunday.

At heart, Paul was a newsman through and through. During his first stint at The Times, Paul displayed his unique talent for getting business done with business executives over lunch and challenging his reporters and editors at night while putting together the next day's product. Paul often put up an intense demeanor as he drove his newsroom to find the best stories in the community and then write those stories in time for deadline. He learned how to design pages on a computer and send them to the press room during an era when computers and new technology streamlined the newspaper operation. Paul kept up with the changing times.

Paul was a hands-on boss who knew the jobs of everyone in the newspaper because he had done them all. And when the paper had gone to press, Paul sometimes found time to go out and have a beer with his fellow workers. He led and he could also just gear down and become part of the team, laughing at work stories and moaning over Red Sox games in a neighborhood bar. Paul probably enjoyed being one of the guys more than being leader. He was a man of many loyalties, and once you earned his trust, Paul had your back forever. Paul earned the respect of community leaders throughout the Blackstone Valley. His dedication to community work first showed itself in Woonsocket during the 1980s when he became a driving force behind the newspaper's Milk Fund campaign. "Paul was very passionate about the Blackstone Valley," said Larry Berman, who worked as Sports Editor and then Managing Editor of The Call during the 1980s.

When he came to Pawtucket, Paul soon became deeply involved in charity promotions with the Pawtucket Red Sox.
"Paul was a credit to the newspaper industry," said Mike Tamburro, President of the PawSox when Palange worked in Pawtucket. "He was an honest, straight-shooting individual who cared deeply about the community and gave back at every opportunity."

Paul fell in love with his wife Andria when they worked together at The Times in the 1990s. He became a role model for Andria's son, Jonathan, who grew up to be a dedicated social worker. And the birth of Olivia sent Paul over the moon. He and Andria could often be seen walking with Olivia in Slater Park or at McCoy Stadium where Olivia became good friends with the PawSox mascot, "Paws." Olivia brought out the caring side of her father, cracking that stern façade he sometimes used at work. Paul was devoted to Olivia, Jonathan and Andria, and he never seemed to have enough time in the day to do all his work and still be with his family.

Paul Palange was born in Somerville, MA on Dec. 6, 1954 to Emil and Jennie Palange. He came from a big family that loved to share time together as they grew older.

Paul is survived by his wife Andria (Siniak) Palange, his daughter Olivia Palange, and his stepson, Jonathan Barry, LISW. He was also the brother of Mark Palange, and his wife Donna, Joanne Hill and her husband Don, the late Lisa Chisolm, and the late Richard Palange.

Due to current health safety precautions, there will be a private family service on Saturday. A public memorial celebration service will be held at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to Unity Circles (unitycircles.org).

Arrangements entrusted to Rebello Funeral Home.

www.rebellofuneralhome.com