Obituary: Paul E. Sabo, 78, Of West Haven

WEST HAVEN, CT — (From West Haven Funeral Home): Paul E. Sabo, of West Haven, CT, formerly of Milford, passed away on Feb. 14, 2020. Paul was born in Bridgeport on July 28, 1941 to Paul Sabo and Margaret Morris.

As a teenager he attended Our Lady of La Salette Seminary in Hartford before transferring to Roger Ludlowe High School in Fairfield, where he met the love of his life, Sharon Daley. They were married on Aug. 29, 1964. He worked for Nestle for several years before embarking on a new adventure by starting his own business. He served in both the Army and National Guard during the Vietnam era and often relayed stories of his time in the military.

Service to others was an ever-present part of Paul’s life. He started coaching youth sports even before his children were involved in them. He spent many years coaching baseball in Milford Little League and basketball in the Catholic Youth Organization through St. Mary Church in Milford. Many of the long-standing relationships he and his family formed were through his coaching experiences.

Later in life Paul chose to pursue a role in the Roman Catholic Church by training and studying to become a Deacon. He was ordained in December 1981 at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Hartford.

Originally engaged in pastoral work at St. Mary Church in Milford in 1983, he was reassigned in 2000 to Our Lady of Victory Church in West Haven. In 2001 he additionally began serving at St. John Vianney Church in the same city, reaching Senior Status in 2016. Over all those years he became an often-requested officiant for weddings, funerals, baptisms, and other special services, for Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

Paul had an incredible talent for learning enough about someone in five minutes to speak about them as if he had known them for years. In addition to his wife, Paul is survived by his children Michael (Dina) Sabo, Karen (Justin) McLeod, Susan Marshall, and Mark (Jennifer) Sabo, his grandchildren Zachary Sabo, Emily (Raymond Mayberry, Jr.) Sabo, and Haley Marshall, his step-grandchildren Lindsey and Amelia McLeod, his siblings Jack Sabo, Tom (Juanita) Sabo, Matt (Elaine) Sabo, Peigi Brinton, Sheila Sabo, and many nieces, nephews, and friends. He was predeceased by his sister Barbara Ackley.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in Our Lady of Victory Church, 600 Jones Hill Rd., West Haven on Friday, Feb. 21 at 11 a.m. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the John Rigley Food Bank at St. Mary Church in Milford.