YARMOUTH PORT — Paul McBride, age 64, died of lung and brain cancer on Monday, Nov. 29, 2010, surrounded by his family. He was the husband of Carol (Correia) McBride for 32 years.
The son of the late Paul and Priscilla McBride, he was born in Worcester, moved to Cape Cod at the age of 10, graduated from D.Y. class of 1964 and attended Cape Cod Community College. Paul began working for the Davenport Companies in 1965 at the Blue Rock Resort. Over his 45-year career he has held numerous management positions within the company. With Paul's visions and hard work he became the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of seven Red Jacket Resorts and Trustee of Davenport Realty Trust, a diversified group of operating companies.
Paul always found time to coach numerous Yarmouth Recreation teams and served on several civic boards in Yarmouth. Paul was a longtime Director of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Cape and Islands as children were very near and dear to his heart.
Since 1990 Paul was a prominent member of the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce, the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce and served the Hospitality Community. In 1994 while serving as VP of the Yarmouth Chamber Finance Committee they named Paul, Citizen of the Year.
Paul was always mentoring Red Jacket employees. He was tough but always fair. In 2008, Paul received the Cape Cod Chamber, Chairman's Business Excellence Award and a Proclamation from Massachusetts House of Representatives in recognition for his dedication and service to the Cape Cod community. In 2009 Paul completed designing and constructing New England's largest indoor water park. More recently, in March of this year Paul was honored by the American Red Cross Hero's Breakfast honoring local heroes as the Blood Donor Achievement recipient. Paul has demonstrated a willingness to adopt or adapt best practices in his community service and professional career. His willingness to embrace change, understand the needs of others, then articulate and communicate with the service provider teams and customers is second to none.
Paul has persevered in changes in technology, the workforce, consumer demands, regulations, environmental conditions and distribution channels without losing sight of the mission of the resorts. Since 1965 he has done this by educating himself, understanding the need to change and holding his team accountable for delivering not only the expected, but the unexpected as well. Today, as in the past, Red Jacket Resorts are known for the quality of guest experience.
Community commitment is the hallmark of this lifelong resident of Cape Cod. He has served on countless committees on a local and regional level. This is not only because his opinion is highly valued by neighbors, business leaders and government officials, but also because he has a reputation for getting things done.
Paul was a trustee of the Davenport Companies, a diversified local firm that directly employs over 1,300 people annually. His ability to develop relationships with no boundaries and quest for operational excellence has lead to job creation and sustainability.
If you believe leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent, then you've just described Mr. McBride. Alternately, if you believe leadership in its fundamental form is doing the right things, well you've identified Mr. McBride. Either way he carried out this process by applying his leadership attributes such as beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge and skills consistently and fairly every day.
Besides his wife he is survived by his daughter Dawn-Marie Flett and husband Bill of Yarmouth. A son, Paul N. McBride III and his wife Kendra of Yarmouthport. His beloved grandchildren, Leah Marie and James Allan Flett, and his grand-dogs Apollo, Makia, and Bruin McBride. A brother James of Yarmouth, and a sister Patty Deangelis and husband Jim of Maryland, numerous nieces, nephews, friends and his former wife Sharon (Payea) McBride. He also leaves his extended family near and dear to his heart, the Davenport family and all associated.
Paul always had a goal in all he did and always completed his task one way or the other. As many people have said in the past 15 months, he was the toughest man they knew and they were right. He will be missed greatly by all who cared, and his family will never be the same without him.
Borrowed from the Guide for Caregivers but soothing to our souls: "A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam and for a brief moment its glory and beauty belong to our world, but then it flies again, and though we wish it could have stayed... we feel lucky to have seen it. Till we meet again." (author unknown).
Visitation will be held on Thursday Dec. 2, 2010, from 4 to 7 p.m., at the Morris, O'Connor & Blute Funeral Home, 58 Long Pond Drive, South Yarmouth. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, at 10 a.m., at Saint Pius X Church, Station Ave., South Yarmouth. Burial will follow at Chandler Gray Cemetery, W. Yarmouth. DONATIONS In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Davenport/Mugar Cancer Center, Cape Cod Hospital, Hyannis, MA, or to Hospice and Palliative Care of Cape Cod, 765 Attucks Ln. Hyannis, MA 02601. Notes of comfort and sympathy may be sent to Paul's family at www.MorrisOConnorBlute.com.
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