Paul Despres

Paul was born in New Bedford, MA to Dorothy (Brule) and Normand Despres. It was there he became a postal carrier after returning from Vietnam with The Purple Heart, and it was there he later served as Postmaster, the culmination of his 33-year career.

Paul loved to travel. He explored Arizona, his adopted home of 18 years, and relished sharing those explorations with family and friends. Paul and his wife, Diane, enjoyed month-long road trips across the country, stopping along the way to see family in six states. Whether he was sharing stories of Arizona or those road trips—or of Amsterdam, Jamaica, the Rock House and Casita in Payson, rafting on the Colorado, the garden house in San Diego, or the house on the beach with his siblings—his joy was palpable.

Paul also loved to stay put. He loved crosswords, reading, and chess. He and Diane started each day with a friendly word puzzle competition. He was a man of ideas and was energized by sharing those ideas, oftentimes through the gift of a book. Paul was a rated chess master who found great satisfaction playing online with his brother in CA. He and Diane welcomed family and friends into their home, and Paul enjoyed pouring them a drink and regaling them with stories.

On the road or at home, Paul created ways to share his passions and his life with loved ones.

Paul also loved Tom Brady and the Patriots, The Princess Bride, Manhattans, an oaky Chardonnay, and the benefits of living with a culinary whiz. He was a proud man who loved winning streaks, tackling a problem head on, mastering a subject, not cooking, and being first.

In that vein, he is survived by a long list of loved ones: Diane, his wife. His daughters Michelle Despres and her husband, Trevor Byrne and Danielle Hannon. His sons Chris Boucher and his wife, Rose, and Tim Boucher and his wife, Joanne. His grandchildren Marissa Despres; Josh Despres and his wife, Abigail; Makenzie Despres and her fiancé, Parker Johnson; Jeffrey Despres; Madison Osborne Despres; Nathan Boucher; Hannah Boucher; Carly Scoppetta; and Haley Hannon. His great-grandchildren Westyn Smith, Rowan Smith, Sevyn Smith, and Luna Despres. His siblings Richard Despres and his wife, Sue; Thom Despres and his wife, Cynthia; Gina Despres and her husband, Karl Schnapp; and George Despres and his wife, Madeline. Three daughters were estranged from him.

Despite his competitiveness, he often said: “I never lose. Either I win or I learn,” a Mandela quote popular among chess players. We, his family, have lost and learned but we surely also won with Paul as partner, Dad, Pepere, Papa, and brother.