Paul Alex Szoc

Paul A. Szoc 72, a lifelong resident of Keene, NH and retired Chief of Southwestern NH District Fire Mutual Aid and retired Deputy Chief of the Keene Fire Department Call Company Operations, passed away on Monday, October 16, 2023, at the Cheshire Medical Center Dartmouth Hitchcock, Keene, following a seven-year battle with multiple myeloma.

His parents, Ludwig and Constance (Pitrowski) Szoc, welcomed their son into the world on July 13, 1951 in Keene, NH. He was a 1969 graduate of Keene High School and went on to receive a Bachelor Degree in Business in 1973 from the NH College, where he was a member of the Phi Delta Pi Fraternity.

Paul’s dedication to serving his community began as a member of the Washington Hook and Ladder Company with the City of Keene Fire Department and was elected on November 21, 1977, as a member of the Keene Steam Fire Engine and Hose Company #1. He was promoted through the ranks, becoming Deputy Chief of Call Operations on March 8, 1999. He retired from the City of Keene on December 31, 2017 with just over 40 years of dignified and honorable service to the City.

While helping people got Paul "hooked" on his career in emergency services, his visioning ability and his understanding of how operations could, should and do work, set him up for success and made positive impacts on people’s lives.

Paul witnessed and made significant contributions to call fire operations over the years, demonstrating his love of the Monadnock Region through his dual career as Chief of the Southwestern New Hampshire District Fire Mutual Aid, serving from February 15, 1976 until his retirement on July 27, 2007.

Chief Szoc was active on many state and national organizations governing, directing and advising public safety emergency communications. Those organizations include Chairman of the NH 911 Commission, NH Federation of Mutual Aid Districts, IMSA-Public Safety Advisory Committee, SAFECOM, National Public Safety Telecommunications Council and the NFPA Technical Committee on Public Safety Tele communicator Professional Qualifications. In his role as Chief, he traveled to annual APCO conventions throughout the US.

Paul enjoyed golfing, skiing and spending time at the ocean. He looked forward to his annual trip to St. Martin with his wife Carolyn and best friends, Brian and Marilee Tilton. He was also a member of the Board of Directors and bookkeeper for the Italian Club in Keene; and a member of the Elks Club in Keene. He was a lifelong parishioner of St. Bernard Church in Keene.

In addition to his fellow members of Fire Mutual Aid, Keene Fire Department and many friends in the community, Paul will be especially missed by his family, his wife of 47 years, Carolyn (Wallace) Szoc of Keene; his children, Darrah Scott and her husband, Jason, of Charlestown, NH, Devin Szoc and his wife, Katie, of Northfield, MA; his grandson, Karsyn Scott; his aunt, Virginia Bourgeois, of Gardner, MA; his cousins, Marta and Calvin Cole, of Dover, NH; a brother-in-law, Gary Wallace and his wife, Dottie, of Bellows Falls, VT; and many extend family members.

A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Thursday, October 26, 2023 at 11:00am in St. Bernard Church, 185 Main Street, Keene. Burial with committal prayers and fire department honors will follow in the St. Joseph Cemetery, Main Street, Keene. Family and friends are invited to call on Wednesday evening from 4:00 to 7:00pm at the Foley Funeral Home, 49 Court Street, Keene.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mr. Szoc’s memory to the Firefighters Relief Association, c/o Keene Fire Department, Att: David Symonds, 39 Vernon Street, Keene, NH 03431; or to The Prouty, raising funds and awareness for life-saving research and family support services, with check made payable to DH-H/The Prouty, and mail to Medical & Healthcare Advancement, Attn: Gift Recording, One Medical Center Drive (HB 7070), Lebanon, NH 03756.