Paul F. Interdonato - Obituary

aul F. Interdonato (age 97) Knight of St. Gregory Knight of Malta Paul F. Interdonato born in Washington, DC, on October 21, 1918 was the son of Andrea Interdonato and Theresa Pisciotta Interdonato who were both immigrants from Sicily. He had a younger brother, Guy and older, twin sisters, Annuciata (Nancy) and Marianna (Mary). They all predeceased him. He married Amelia Theresa Mirabile on June 21, 1942 and they remained lovingly together until her passing on April 25, 2012, after nearly 70 years of marriage. They had 4 children, Theresa O’Connell (married to Edmond B.), Andrew G. Interdonato, ( married to Beverly), Anthony P. Interdonato ( married to Kathleen G), and Rita Interdonato. He has 7 grandchildren, Denis A. O’Connell, ( married to Shannon), Paul E. O’Connell, Amelia T. Miles, (married to Timothy), Paul A. Interdonato, Paul M. Interdonato, Anthony J. Interdonato and Nicholas G. Interdonato. He has 5 great grandchildren, Jaqueline J. Miles, Julia J. Miles, Edmond S. O’Connell, Sophia E. O’Connell, and Jacey J. Miles. They all knew him affectionately as Beep, Beepa or Grandpop. He was fondly known to many as “Mr. I”. He graduated from the following schools all in Washington, D.C.: Holy Name School in 1934, Gonzaga College High School in 1938, Georgetown University A.B. in 1946 and Georgetown School of Law, L. L. B., later, J. D., in 1950. He passed the DC Bar exam in 1950 prior to completing Law School. As a young man he worked in his father’s barbershop and pool parlor and started his outside career as a Clerk and Accountant at the Social Security Administration in Baltimore, MD while still attending Gonzaga. From the early 1940’s to post WW II, he worked as a Joiner at the Washington Navy Yard where, among many other things, he helped build a solid mahogany desk used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and classified models used by the Navy to prepare for the Battle of Midway. During that time, with his father and brother, he opened restaurants on 8th Street SE one of which, with all else in his life, he kept in operation until after his Father’s death in 1968. He was also a principal in a construction company that built over 100 homes in the Berkshire subdivision in District Heights, Maryland from 1956 through 1959. He started work as an associate at a DC law firm in 1950 and was still practicing law into his 90’s. He was always available to priests and numerous Catholic organizations for whatever legal tasks they had. This developed into a career in which he represented the Little Sisters of the Poor for over 40 years. He worked with Cardinal O’Boyle and later became principal Counsel to Cardinal Baum and Cardinal Hickey. Those positions extended over 25 years. He was AV rated by Martindale Hubbell for many decades. In addition to his professional career, he always made time for charitable and community service. He helped organize and represented Villa Rosa Nursing Home, Mitchellville, MD. For more than 20 years he was a Director of United National Bank which was the first Federally chartered Bank in the US to have a racially integrated Board. He served as a Director of Madison National Bank after it acquired United National. He served as President of the St. Francis Xavier Holy Name Society and the Lido Civic Club, made up of Italian American professionals and business men. He was a Venerable of the Prince George’s County Sons of Italy and a Charter Member of Amerito, a union of Italian American organizations in the Washington Metro area. He served on numerous Boards of organizations of the Archdiocese of Washington and the Board of the Summer Opera Company of the Catholic University of America. He served as Chairman of the Archbishop’s Appeal in 1976. In 1978 he was installed into the Papal Order of the Knights of St. Gregory the Great and was later elevated to the Rank of Knight Commander. In 1982 he was invested into the Knights of Malta. He was awarded the St. Aloysius Medal by Gonzaga College High School in 2007. His life always revolved around his family, his faith and his friends. He will be remembered as a man who always helped anyone who needed assistance. His personal acts to those in need are too numerous to list. He will be sorely missed by his family and many friends. Friends are invited to Mr. Interdonato's Celebration of Life at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 6160 Oxon Hill Road, Oxon Hill, MD on Thursday, April 21 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Aloysius Gonzaga Catholic Church, North Capitol and Eye Sts., NW on Friday, April 22 at 11:30 a.m. Entombment Private. Flowers or donations are welcome. Donations may be sent to the Little Sisters of the Poor, 4200 Harewood Road NE, Washington, D.C. 20017 or to Gonzaga College High School, 19 Eye St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20001. Links to both donations are located to your left. Please feel free to leave your thoughts and memories by going to the sign guestbook tab located above. Please visit http://www.gonzaga.org/parking for information on parking for St. Aloysius. *******GONZAGA COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL IS CLOSED ON FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016; THEREFORE, GUESTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO PARK IN THE PARKING GARAGE FOR THE FUNERAL MASS.*****