Paul Richard Los, Sr.

Paul Richard Los, Sr., 80, of New Bedford passed away peacefully at St. Luke’s Hospital on Tuesday, July 8, 2025 surrounded by his family after a courageous battle with cancer. He was the husband of Debra L. Los (Price). They were happily married for more than 59 years.

Born on December 28, 1944 in Fall River, he was the son of the late Stanley Walter Los and the late Helen Cholewa Los both of New Bedford and the younger brother of the late Kenneth S. Los of Marshfield. He is survived by his younger sister, Kathleen Los Waldron of New Bedford and her family.

Paul is predeceased by his son, Mark David Los, of Falls Church, Virginia, who died on July 3, 2025 in the early morning on the day that Mark was flying to Massachusetts to be with his father.

Paul is survived by his wife, Debra L., his son, Paul Richard Los, Jr., his daughter, Laurie Los Lee and her husband, Robert; grandchildren, Roger Paul DaSilva and his wife, Natali, Christopher-Paul Richard DaSilva Los, III and his wife, Alyson, Katrina Lourdes Rivera Los and her husband, Hermis, Mackenzie Jordan Lee and Makayla Hazel Lee, and great-granddaughters Elysia Rose Los and Charlotte Elizabeth Los, all of New Bedford.

In October of 1952, Paul moved to New Bedford with his family and as a young man, he obtained the rank of an Eagle Scout. He was also an officer in the ROTC and an honors graduate of New Bedford High School.

Paul attended Northeastern University, graduating with honors, earning a Bachelor's of Science Degree in civil engineering and a Master’s Degree in environmental engineering.

After graduation, Paul began a 36-year career with the U.S. Department of Transportation at the Federal Highway Administration. Early in his career Paul traveled extensively around the country and oversaw the design, construction and maintenance of our nation’s highway system. After settling in Falls Church, Virginia in the early 1970s, Paul served as a project manager and traveled around the globe, assisting other nations with developing their highway infrastructure. Later in his career, Paul became a project manager for tribal-owned lands, negotiating with various Indian tribes across the country. In the last few years of his career, Paul worked on Capital Hill as a member of the U.S. Department of Transportation Highway Subcommittee where he was not only known for his fairness, but for also reading every single line of a congressional bill.

During his time in Virginia, Paul was the president of the Springfield Stamp Club and a member of St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, where he served as treasurer and on the vestry. Paul was also involved in his children’s education and attended all of his son, Mark’s football games as well as his daughter, Laurie’s basketball games. Paul also served as the bookkeeper of his son Mark’s landscaping business.

Upon retirement, Paul and his wife, Debra, returned to Massachusetts, where he enjoyed spending time with his family and assisting his son, Paul Jr., with his law practice. Paul was not only his son’s legal assistant, but along with his wife served as a witness for many of their son’s clients. Paul was known as being a slow witness as he would want to read the documents so that he understood exactly what the clients were signing. Paul Sr. served as treasurer and a member of the vestry of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church. He also was a delegate at the Democratic Convention representing New Bedford numerous times, a member of the Clark’s Point Neighborhood Association and was active in attending meetings throughout the city of New Bedford.

Affectionately known as “greaseman,” Paul traveled often with his brother-in-law, Leonard F. Jacintho, Sr., his son, Paul Jr., and his grandchildren. Paul attended many sporting events with his daughter, Laurie, and her children. He also enjoyed attending his grandchildren’s baseball, softball and basketball games. He often referred to his granddaughter, Katrina, and her cousins as the “nerds” and called his granddaughters, Mackenzie and Makayla, the “M & M girls.”

Paul traveled to Virginia annually to attend Opening Day for the Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Orioles. It was during these trips that Paul’s son, Mark, helped his father complete his bucket list, which consisted of everything from eating barbeque ribs to traveling all over the world. No matter where Paul went, he always looked forward to returning home to his wife and family.

Paul and his family want to thank his caretaker, the “smart” Jen, Community Nurse of Fairhaven, St. Luke’s Hospital, SouthCoast Hospital Cancer Center, and the thousands of friends and family that have supported him with their love and prayers.

Visiting hours are from 4 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 15, 2025 at Perry Funeral Home, 111 Dartmouth St., New Bedford. A joint funeral mass for both Paul and Mark will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 16, 2025 at St. Martin’s Church, 136 Rivet St., New Bedford. 

Please Note: All attendees planning to attend the funeral mass are kindly asked to meet directly at the church. Construction throughout the city as well as this area will be on-going, so please plan according as far as time arrival for the service, as well as, securing parking which will unfortunately be out of our control. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.

Burial will follow at Rural Cemetery, 149 Dartmouth St., New Bedford in section 214 (Grape Street entrance on Rockdale Avenue side).

For condolences, please visit www.perryfuneral.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Paul’s memory can be made to St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 136 Rivet St., New Bedford, MA, 02744 or to William Taylor Elementary School, 71 Portland St., New Bedford, MA 02744 to assist his granddaughters’ school in building its first playground. All donations should be made to the William Taylor School PTO and sent to the above address in the care of Dr. Rafaela DeFigueiredo Spence.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Perry Funeral Home, located at 111 Dartmouth Street, New Bedford.