Paul Frederick Gonsalves - Obituary

aul Frederick Gonsalves passed away peacefully on November 17, 2021. He was 89. Born on January 12, 1932 in Woburn, Massachusetts, Paul grew up in Woburn surrounded by a loving family of Portuguese immigrants from Madeira, Portugal. His grandfather established a small farm, orchard and retail store in the early 1900’s in an area known as ‘Mt Misery’ in Woburn. His grandfather built a large swimming pool for the kids to learn to swim and then play hockey once it froze. His father John went to Middlebury College on a hockey scholarship and his uncle Leo set Middlesex hockey scoring records in high school. Paul’s parents were both teachers and this heavily influenced his decision to become a teacher and coach later in life. He was also influenced by his uncle Frank’s and Uncle Leo's service in WWII. Frank was killed in action in 1944 in Italy shortly after receiving a battlefield commission and Leo was a B17 navigator and completed 100 combat missions. Paul had a wonderful childhood working on his grandfather’s farm, selling produce door-to- door and playing sports with his cousins and friends. His father introduced him to every sport at an early age and Paul enjoyed the benefits of a large family which included 6 siblings (Jack, Bobby, David, Rowena, Helen and Margaret) and many 1st and 2nd cousins in the Woburn area. At Woburn High School, he played football, basketball and baseball and participated in drama. He loved to sing and play the piano and guitar throughout his life. Paul joined the Navy on his 18th birthday following the footsteps of his uncles and older brother Jack and served honorably until 1953. Trained as a Dental Technician, he was proud to have supported the many Marines who were wounded in Korea and were being treated at the Beaufort Naval Hospital near Parris Island. Each fall, Paul played on the Parris Island Marines’ Football team which travelled throughout the East Coast in the highly competitive military base football league which was full of many Division I players who had signed up during the Korean War period. He then took his football talents to Boston University and played there for two years while earning his Bachelor's Degree. Paul spent two years teaching and coaching soccer, basketball and baseball at Shelburne High School in Shelburne, VT. During his first summer off, he took a job in Grand Falls, Newfoundland, Canada as a Swimming and Diving Instructor. While there, he fell in love with Barbara Griffin and they spent the next 65 years together. Paul and Barbara moved to Stowe, Vermont and enjoyed the skiing and mountain life for 5 years while Paul taught and coached at Stowe High School. Paul then attended Boston College and earned his Masters Degree in Mathematics which enabled him to embark on a 33 year teaching career at Champlain College in Burlington, VT. Paul rose to the position of Mathematics Chairman and also was instrumental in starting the college’s Computer Science Department where he also served as the chairman. Paul couldn’t walk anywhere in the Burlington area without a former student stopping him for a thank you, a job update and big hug. He spent a lot of his time tutoring students who were struggling during their first year in the demanding Computer Science program. Paul always rooted for the under-dog and had a soft spot for struggling statistics students. He spent his one year sabbatical working for Pizzagalli Construction, where he utilized his math and computer modeling skills to help with business transformation initiatives. While offered an opportunity to stay in the private sector, Paul returned to Champlain College to continue his service to his students. Paul coached Champlain College’s golf and hockey teams and during his summers, Paul and Barbara travelled extensively including a trip to Alaska and many trips back to Newfoundland. They fished, golfed and skied throughout Vermont. In 1967, Paul and Barbara adopted their infant twin nephews Stephen and James, to help his beloved sister Helen who was already raising four young children. He then built (on his own) their family house in Shelburne in 1970, and raised the family there until moving to Bluffton, South Carolina in 1998. Paul was a coach and active supporter of youth sports in the local area. He calculated the monthly golf handicaps (by hand) at Kwiniaska Golf Club in Shelburne and gave golf lessons for many years. Paul enjoyed many lifelong friends from Kwiniaska. Paul spent much of his free time experiencing Vermont life and sports with his sons to include golf, baseball, tennis, fly fishing, water sports, hunting, and hiking in the summers; and skiing, hockey, basketball, and ice fishing in the winters. Everything was in play with his boys in tow - including trips to the Northeast Kingdom (VT) to catch lake trout, walleye fishing on Lake Champlain, and multiple trips to the famous Humber River in Newfoundland to snag 10 lb Atlantic Salmon on fly rods. His favorites also included taking the boys canoe fishing for bass on Little Otter Creek, and fly fishing for brookies in the many small streams throughout Vermont. If not coaching, he often went to practices just to watch his boys compete. During summer, when not working on house projects, he and the boys collected fire wood for the winter and for the spring maple sugar season. They made 5-8 gallons of maple syrup each spring which provided even more quality outdoor time for bonding and exercise. Vermont proved to be the ultimate backyard playground for Paul and Barbara to raise their family. As a Teacher, Coach, Husband, Father and Grandfather - Paul lived a wonderful and fulfilled life. He was truly a dedicated family-man and he loved his family more than life itself. A masterful story-teller, his stories were always about his family and friends. He was an active, big strong outdoorsman - a true Green Mountain Boy. He could learn and do anything. His only weakness was his endearing trait of wearing his emotions on his sleeve, which sometimes made it difficult for him to finish a story without shedding a tear. Paul was known as ‘Gonsi’ in high school, ‘The Bear’ (with a small bite) at Champlain College and they called him ‘The Duke’ during his last 20 years. We will miss his big heart and genuine love for others the most, and we are thankful for the life lasting treasure chest of memories he has left for all to enjoy. Paul is survived by his wife of 64 years, the former Barbara Griffin of Grand Falls, Newfoundland, Canada, his sons Stephen Gonsalves and James Gonsalves, Daughter-in-Law Judith Gonsalves, Grandchildren Kate Marie Gonsalves and John Paul Gonsalves, his beloved brother Robert Gonsalves and devoted sister Margaret Hayes. Memorial services are still being planned but are expected to occur in the summer of 2022 in Woburn and in Shelburne. In lieu of flowers, donations in Paul’s loving memory can be made to Boys & Girls Club of Burlington and/or The Josh Pallotta Fund of Colchester, VT. Please take a moment to leave a memory for the family by clicking the "memory" tab on the left side of this page.