Paul J. Leary, 83, a longtime Shrewsbury resident and proud Army veteran died Sunday, December 2, 2012 in The Rose Monahan Hospice Residence after an illness.

Paul was born and raised in Worcester, one of six children of the late John F. and Anna C. (Lupien) Leary. He attended Worcester Schools and graduated from Worcester Boys Trade.

He met and married the love of his life, Marie M. Zernick on April 19, 1950. They moved to Shrewsbury in 1968.

Paul was a true and honorable veteran of the United States Army where he actively served as Chief Warrant Officer for 22 years serving in the Korean and Vietnam Wars receiving a Bronze Star. He later worked for the Federal Government as a Sky Marshall, then at the Port Authority and for the last 10 years as a Customs Agent at Logan Airport before he retired in 1989.

He leaves his beloved wife and best friend of 62 years, Marie M. (Zernick) Leary; his loving children, James J. Leary and his wife, Joanne of Shrewsbury; Mary M. Mayer and her husband, John of Colchester, VT; three grandchildren, Christine M. Purcell and her husband, Thomas Vukmirovitz of Shrewsbury, Kathleen Whitney and her husband, Dustin of Winooski, VT, and Kevin Mayer and his wife, Jillian of Branford, CT; four great grandchildren, Austin, Erin, Isabella, Benjamin; also survived by a brother, John Leary of CT and a sister, Anne Deso of Auburn; many nieces and nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by two brothers, Robert and Donald Leary and a sister, Eleanor Bernier.

He was a faithful member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Worcester and a longtime member of the Worcester Area Retired Officers Club.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Paul’s family on Wednesday, December 5, 2012 from 5-8 PM in the Britton-Shrewsbury Funeral Home, 648 Main Street, Shrewsbury. Funeral services for Paul will be held on Thursday, December 6, 2012 at 11:00 A.M. in Trinity Lutheran Church, 73 Lancaster Street, Worcester. Burial with military honors will follow in Mountain View Cemetery, Shrewsbury. Memorial donations can be made to the American Heart Association,20 Speen Street, Framingham, MA 01701. To leave a note of condolence for Paul’s family please visit, www.brittonfuneralhomes.com

Affiliations

Bronze Star
Army National Guard
US Army
Vietnam Campaign Medal