The life of longtime Boston College maintenance worker, ice resurfacer, and field painting guru Paul Gallivan was celebrated on Friday in his native Massachusetts. He passed away on April 15 at the age of 72.
According to bc.edu, "Mr. Gallivan had already led a rewarding career when he arrived at BC in 1992. A heralded athlete in football, baseball, and hockey at Boston’s Christopher Columbus High School, Mr. Gallivan went on to play football at Northeastern University and Boston State College, making enough of an impression to earn a tryout as a kicker with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons; he then played a season with the minor league New England Colonials. He also had a long career in amateur baseball, playing in Boston’s Park and Intercity leagues."
It was in his second career that Paul shined, whether it was resurfacing the ice at BC's Conte Forum for almost 30 years, or painting the many outdoor athletic fields at the Heights. He also lent his considerable expertise to Harvard, UMass, Salem State, and other institutions, be it laying down designs on ice, or grass, or artificial turf, all in his own inimitable style. A member of the Winthrop High School Athletic Hall of Fame, Paul was also part of four BC men's hockey national championships (2001, 2008, 2010, 2012) in his tenure in Chestnut Hill before retiring in 2020.
I will miss Paul's friendship, his warmth, his genuineness, and his real-time Facebook updates on the Boston Bruins and New England Patriots, especially when they weren't faring very well. I can still see him atop the Beacon Street parking garage, waving to me and yelling "Don't be a stranger!" in his Boston accent as I prepared to head home from BC many years ago after a reunion.
Rest in peace, Paul. You will be very much missed. Go Eagles.
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