Paul J. Calvo

Paul J. Calvo, 87, of Bethlehem passed away peacefully at his home on March 31, 2012. He was born in Bethlehem on June 28, 1924; son of the late Roque and Petra Martinez Calvo. Paul was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Agnes Slaninka Calvo in 2002.

He attended Quincy Elementary School, Broughal Jr.

High, and Bethlehem Vo-Tech and graduated from Moravian College in 1952. He was a member of the Bethlehem High School and Moravian College football and basketball teams.

Paul proudly served his country in the US Army during WWII in the Pacific Theatre from 1943 to 1946. During this time he was in the Amphibious Attack Battalion for which his outfit received the Presidential Unit Citation and two Battle Stars for the Mariana Island Campaign. He also served in Okinawa and in the Philippine Islands.

He taught in the Bethlehem Area School District for 32 years. Paul taught at Neiser Elementary School followed by fifteen years at Northeast Jr. High and sixteen years at Liberty High School.

Paul coached basketball at Bethlehem Catholic High School from 1954-1969 with a record of 260 wins and 155 loses. He led the 1960 and 1962 teams to PCIAA State Championships. He also was an assistant football coach at Moravian College with Head Coach Rocco Calvo from 1954 to 1972. Paul was inducted into the Lehigh Valley Basketball Hall of Fame 1985, the first Bethlehem Catholic High School Wall of Fame 1993 and the Moravian College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.

Paul also served his community as a member of the Bethlehem City Council from 1972-1997 and was City Council President for four of those years. He received the Bethlehem Fraternal Alumni Award in 1987 and the Distinguished Democratic Service Award in 1991. He was also a member of the Mora Club and the Bethlehem Teachers Retirement Association. He was a parishioner of St. Anne's Catholic Church, Bethlehem.

He will be lovingly remembered by his daughter Paula Wilson and husband Hugh of Lower Saucon, daughters Jane Calvo and Lisa Calvo of Bethlehem and Tina Calvo Danko of Middletown, New York; eight grandchildren, Troy Danko, Hugh Paul Wilson, Tiffany Bloom, Jeffrey Wilson, Tracy Danko, Andrew Wilson, Todd Danko and Jennifer Wilson and four great grandchildren. He is also survived by brother Alfonso and wife Ann, sisters-in-law Mary Calvo and Ruth Calvo.

Paul was predeceased by brothers Augustine and Roque Calvo.

Paul had a passion for teaching, coaching and politics. His greatest love and pride however was his family.

The family will receive friends at the Connell Funeral Home, 245 E. Broad St. on Tuesday, April 3rd from 5 to 8 p.m. and again on Wednesday, April 4th from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the funeral home. Funeral services will begin in the funeral home at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at 10 a.m. at St. Anne's Catholic Church, 450 Washington Ave. Bethlehem, PA 18017. Interment will immediately follow at Holy Saviour Cemetery, Bethlehem.

Memorial contributions may be made to Bethlehem Catholic High School Endowment Fund 2133 Madison Avenue, Bethlehem, PA 18017 and/or the Rocco Calvo Scholarship Fund at Moravian College 1200 Main Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018.