Paul W. Kelleher

Articulate, intelligent, humorous, self-effacing, passionate, and committed to the highest standards, Paul William Kelleher, 82, passed away on Christmas Eve morning at home after a long illness. He is predeceased by his parents, F. Patrick and Gertrude (Maloney) Kelleher, and by his two brothers, Robert Kelleher and Richard (Steve) Kelleher. He is survived by his wife of forty years, Peggy Murphy Kelleher, their son, Sean Joseph Murphy, and Paul's three children, Timothy (Natalie) Kelleher, Christine Kelleher (Steve) Okun, and Melissa Kelleher (Jim) Lunchick. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Amanda Okun Quadrini, Ben Okun, Zach Okun, Kaity Kelleher Claeyssens, and Augustus Lunchick, and by four great-grandchildren, Charlotte Claeyssens, and Harper, Leo, and Isla Quadrini.

Born and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, Paul attended Worcester Classical High School where he excelled at his studies and also at football and basketball. After graduation he received a scholarship to Harvard College where he was awarded an AB in English cum laude and also a Masters of Arts in Teaching English. He subsequently earned a Doctorate in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Paul taught in Newton, Massachusetts, for five years before starting an administrative career that included the principalship of Scarsdale High School in Scarsdale, New York, and School Superintendencies in Bedford, New York, Westport, Connecticut, and Lawrence, New York. Following these positions, he served as the Norine R. Murchison Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Education at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

During his Superintendency in Westport, Paul was a recipient of the prestigious Golden Shield Award from the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents for courage in the field of education. Courage was perhaps Paul's most formidable characteristic, always advocating for what was moral, just, and right in educational issues no matter what career risks were involved. He won the award for personally and repeatedly confronting racist policies expressed in public fora. Paul also devoted himself to improving staff development techniques especially for administrators and educational leaders. As Professor Emeritus he continued to work as a consultant in this field. He authored several books, articles, and grants on educational leadership, resiliency, and implementing high standards and expectations.

Paul lived here in East Orleans full-time for about the last 20 years enjoying boating, reading, writing, consulting, and offering courses at Snow Library's Lifetime Learning Program and at the Beacon Hill Seminars in Boston. Perhaps most importantly he enjoyed having the opportunity and time to establish several wonderful friendships and renew old ones, once freed from the long hours required by his career choices. It was a very happy time of his life.

A celebration of his life will be scheduled at a future date.