Heffernan, Paul F.

Paul F. Heffernan, a widely respected hospital administrator and beloved husband, father, grandfather, and brother, passed away suddenly of natural causes on Sunday, Dec. 18. He was 72. Paul was born on Nov. 21, 1950, in Hartford, son of the late Kenneth and Vivian (Lacourse) Heffernan. Paul was the loving husband of Cynthia “Cindy” (Luben) Heffernan for 47 years, and they made their home and

raised their family in Watertown. Healthcare was Paul's calling, beginning with a summer job in the boiler room at Bristol Hospital (where he met Cindy, then a volunteer candy striper). He began his professional life as a public servant assigned to help revitalize the healthcare management system for the state of New York. He remained committed to bettering public health throughout his nearly 50-year-long career, serving on many boards and developing programs at local colleges

and universities. In 1984, Paul returned to Connecticut to be closer to family, serving as Vice President of Human Resources at Waterbury Hospital for the next 22 years. His career later brought him to Tufts New England Medical Center in Boston, MA, Women &

Infants Hospital and Care New England Health System in Providence, RI, and most recently to Heywood Healthcare system in Gardner, MA. Anyone who knew Paul loved him. A gentle soul with a kind disposition, he was known for putting people at ease with his dadjoke-inflected sense of humor. His love of sports—especially his fondness for the New York Yankees—was a lifelong passion that led him to serve as both a youth sports coach and, eventually, as president of the Watertown Association for Youth Soccer for several years. He particularly enjoyed watching his children and grandchildren play in their games and competitions. Paul is survived by his wife, Cindy; daughter Katie Buell and her husband Stephen of Suffield; sons Gregg Luben of Seattle, WA, and Bryan Heffernan of Watertown; grandchildren Cullen and Peyton Buell of Suffield; brother Peter Heffernan and his wife,

Rosemary, of Plymouth, MA; nephew Matthew Heffernan and his wife, Kate, of Hingham, MA, sister-in-law Deborah Luben of Branford; and several great nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his nephew, Peter Heffernan, Jr. Arrangements: Calling hours will be held from 5PM until 8PM on Tuesday, Dec. 27, at O'brien Funeral Home, 24 Lincoln Ave., Bristol. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at St. Joseph Church, 33 Queen St., Bristol. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery, Bristol. To leave an online message of condolence, please visit Paul's memorial webpage at www.obrien-funeralhome.

com.