Obituary : Paul F. Bergeron
Published: May 8, 2008
Paul F. Bergeron, an avid fisherman, master plumber and computer enthusiast died suddenly at the Martha's Vineyard Hospital on April 29 at the age of 53.
Paul was born in Oak Bluffs on Sept. 17, 1954. His family moved to Florida in 1962 where he grew up. Paul spent a great many of his years traveling. They spent many summers on the Down Range Tracking stations, which included Grand Turk, Antigua and Ascension Island. He graduated from John I Leonard High School in Greenacres, Fla. He joined the U.S Navy in 1973 and was stationed at the U.S. Naval base in Rota, Spain where he was a naval air crewman. His sister Tricia joined him in Rota for a summer and they continued to see the world, traveling throughout Europe and Africa. The pleasure he found meeting people from different cultures continued throughout his life. Paul was extremely proud to have had the opportunity to serve his country. Paul was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1977. From there he moved back to the Vineyard to be near his siblings Peter and Tricia.
Paul worked as a commercial fisherman for many years, first on The Bay of Isles for Herb Hancock, then the Zibet as engineer/mate, and the Independence for Captain Larry Yucubian and his crew which consisted of, at different times, Paul Bangs, Alan Albee, Tony Troy, Richie Madeiras, Mark Landers, Jeff Leonard, Dennis VonMehren, Mike Mazza and many more. They were and still are very much a family. He was passionate about the ocean and in later years he fished for tuna with Peter and Derek on Peter's boat. When he retired from commercial fishing he continued to enjoy recreational fishing on the Vineyard and in the Florida Keys. An avid fisherman, he is credited with a 52 lb. and 55 lb. striped bass from shore, a 12.25 lb. bonito from Peter's boat and a Derby Grand Prize winning bonito. Peter and Paul were known as the "Killer B's" in the Vineyard fishing community.
Recently, Paul moved to Arizona to reacquaint himself with his brother Patrick and his family, Mary, Patrick and Phillip. He enjoyed the Arizona weather, the companionship and love of his Arizona family. Paul was very proud of volunteering at the VA Hospital in Phoenix helping disabled veterans from Iraq and past wars. He enjoyed sitting and listening to their stories, helping them get to their appointments and assisting them in understanding and obtaining the benefits they are eligible for. He felt honored to be in their presence. He said he received much more than he gave. Paul was fiercely loyal and proud of his entire family and his friends and will be missed by all.
He was predeceased by his parents Mary Jane (Amaral) Bergeron and Eugene Bergeron, his nephew Eric Bergeron MacLean and his aunt Phyllis Alwardt, his cousins David Alwardt and Jamie Lynn Hendrix.
Paul is survived by his identical twin brother, Peter, nephews Derek Bergeron and Jim Gibson; his favorite sister Tricia Bergeron; niece Kristen MacLean, and her family Joe Peters and Benjamin Eric MacLean-Peters; nephew Thomas Wilkins, brother MSgt Patrick Bergeron, USAF Ret.; sister-in-law Mary Bergeron; nephew Patrick Bergeron II and fiancé Ashley Maxson; and nephew Phillip Bergeron; his birth father William Shannon, and half brother Michael Shannon. He was the nephew of retired Fire Chief Nelson Amaral, Bobbie Ann Gibson, Catherine Deese and step-sisters, and brother Donna Montesion and her family of Edgartown; Lorraine Earle and her family of Hull; Linda Bergeron Freedman of Hawaii; Gene Bergeron and his family of West Tisbury; many cousins, friends and the love of his life, Susie Madeiras, and her children Elyse and Benjamin Madeiras.
"...Think of him as living in the hearts of those he touched...for nothing loved is ever lost and he was loved so much." E. Brenneman
Anyone wishing to make a donation in Paul's memory can do so to the scholarship fund in memory of his nephew. Donations can be sent to Eric Bergeron MacLean Scholarship, P.O. Box 77, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557.
A graveside service will be held on Saturday, May 17, at 12 noon at the Sacred Heart Cemetery on Vineyard Ave. in Oak Bluffs with full military honors offered by the Veterans of Martha's Vineyard. Immediately following that, please join the family for a celebration of Paul's life at the PA Club. The family would love you to bring a story, a picture or a dish to share with his family and friends.
