Paul "Beaner" Siedlecki

Paul Nicholas Siedlecki, 72, of 23 North Jefferson Street, passed peacefully on April 28t,h surrounded by his family. After a long struggle, he went the distance in his fight against fronto-temporal degeneration. It took his mental and then physical ability, but it never could take his spirit.

Paul, better known as “Beaner”, was born in West Carthage, NY on September 23, 1952, the son of the late Stosh and Beverly White Siedlecki. He grew up on North Washington Street and spent his youth at the Ball Diamond, Boy’s Club, and Pool Hall. In 1971 he graduated from the Augustinian Academy where he was a standout athlete in football, basketball, and baseball. People came from all around the North Country to watch his inspired play in the paint. He liked to joke that his basketball rebounding record would never be broken – and he was right – as the Academy closed its high school shortly after his graduation.

On August 11, 1973, he married Cathy (Fargo) Siedlecki, his high school sweetheart. They spent 51 years together creating a wonderful, welcoming home and a beautiful life. They filled their decades with laughter and lots of time together at the dining table or on the back porch.

He earned his journeyman pipefitter papers and worked at the Crown Zellerbach paper mill for 25 years until it closed in 1999. He was proud to tell let you know he won the “Strongest Man at the Mill” contest in the late 90s. After his time at the Mill, he worked jobs at Carthage Market, LSI on Fort Drum, Harrisville Dry Kiln, and ultimately retired from Metro Paper.

Beaner was a kind man who loved his family and making people smile. In his younger years, he played softball for Elmer’s and coached dozens of village youth on his Pee Wee baseball teams while teaching them the importance of believing in themselves and having fun while competing. He loved fishing, shooting hoops, and throwing horseshoes in the backyard, organizing neighborhood ball games, chopping wood, stoking fires in the furnace, and most of all cheering on his kids. No matter what the endeavor, he was sure to tell you that his kids were the best at whatever they were doing, whether true or not. He enjoyed simple pleasures and had his clear favorites, such as his family, Pepsi, the Rolling Stones, the Chicago Bears, Western tv shows, big breakfasts, and meat and potatoes. He lived life with a mischievous grin on his face and a gleam in his eye. Anyone who met him was better for it.

He is survived by his devoted wife, Cathy Siedlecki, who lovingly cared for him for throughout his struggle, his son Joe Siedlecki (Amali) and grandkids (Grace and Jake), his daughter Kelly Kowalczyk (Chris) and grandkids (Annika and Ivy) and his daughter Karen Siedlecki (Adam Burgoon) and grandkids (Gwendolyn and Griffin), his brother, Bill Siedlecki who assisted in his care the last year of his life, and his sister, Neysa Siedlecki. He is predeceased by his brother, Steve Siedlecki, and parents, Stosh and Bev Siedlecki.

Calling hours will be at Lundy Funeral Home on Friday, May 2, from 4:30 – 5:30 pm, followed by a short service and then a burial at Hillside Cemetery at the corner of Champion Street and North Broad. Afterward, join the family at the Kowalczyk residence at 32805 County Route 163 for a celebration of life.

In lieu of flowers, please donate funds to the Association for Fronto-Temporal Degeneration (AFTD)( https://www.theaftd.org/) so that others afflicted by FTD might have hope for a brighter future.