Paul Roberts

Paul Alan Roberts of Grafton passed away peacefully on Feb. 17, 2026, surrounded by his loving family, at the age of 74. This obituary is a tribute to his life and memory and is written by his daughter, Amy.

Paul was born on June 30, 1951, in Waterbury, Connecticut. He was the son of the late Barbara (Dee) Harrison and Joseph Roberts. He was a loving brother to his older sister, Sharon, and his younger sister, Carol, who preceded him in death in 2021. He had a brother, Joseph, who also preceded him in death.

My dad was a quirky soul with a deep love for classic movies and television as well as all things music and radio, and an endless fascination with science fiction. He often said he wished he could have met Rod Serling, creator and host of “The Twilight Zone.” In fact, he could do a stunning imitation of Serling, which he performed readily to charm caregivers and family alike. He loved animals — especially dogs — and he had a gift for making people feel important.

He was an incredibly hard worker. Paul worked for several companies, including Bullard Abrasives and Future Electronics, before returning to school in his early 40s to pursue an education in radio broadcasting. He graduated from the Connecticut School of Broadcasting and went on to work for AM radio station WNTN 1550 for many years before retiring in 2022. In this role, he hosted a daily talk show called “1550 Today,” where he met and interviewed hundreds of people from all walks of life. He also worked as a security guard for Securitas prior to retiring in 2021, and he enjoyed completing his nightly tours of his assigned buildings and entertaining his coworkers. He was a dedicated, reliable and conscientious employee in every role he held.

As a young man, Paul lived in Puerto Rico for several years and spoke fluent Spanish. He met his future wife, Wendy (Goodall) Roberts, when she visited Puerto Rico in 1972, and they were married in Massachusetts on Jan. 11, 1975. They eventually settled in Hopkinton and had one child, Amy Dee Roberts, whom he affectionately referred to as his “sweetheart.” He overcame his own generational trauma to become the kindest, gentlest most loving father a girl could ever have. While he never quite mastered ponytails, it certainly wasn’t for lack of trying. He nearly burst with pride when his daughter graduated nursing school, and he made sure to tell everyone how proud he was.

His heart grew even bigger when he became a “Pop” to his first grandson, Brandon, in 2003. Brandon and his Pop enjoyed exploring in the woods, playing heated games of Tanks on the Wii, and doing quirky impersonations together. His second grandson, Cole, was born in 2010, and he was absolutely thrilled about having another grandson. He enjoyed listening to Cole play guitar and loved to joke around with him because, “He can take it, and he gives it right back!” He was immensely proud of their every accomplishment, and even when his memory failed him in most ways, he never forgot “his boys.”

Paul is survived by his former wife, Wendy (Goodall) Roberts of South Grafton; his daughter, Amy Roberts; his son-in-law, David Patterson; his grandsons, Brandon Belmonte and Cole Patterson (all of Hopkinton); his big sister, Sharon Frigon of Wolcott, Connecticut; and many other family members, friends (including “the girls”), coworkers and caregivers.

My dad believed deeply in kindness, laughter and making people feel special. His life was not easy and was further complicated by his struggle with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia over the last several years. Though he lost so much as the disease progressed, he never lost his kind personality, his sense of humor or his ability to know just when to say something profoundly touching. He will be forever remembered by those who were lucky enough to know him, even if they only had a brief encounter with him. He will be missed dearly by his family, but he leaves behind a legacy that transcends money, fame and popularity — a legacy of hard work, kindness and gentle love.

We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the caregivers of Ascend Hospice and Right at Home for the love and care they showed our family over the last few weeks. Services and burial will be private. Paul will be interred at Pine Grove Cemetery in Westborough. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you look for small ways to spread kindness and make others feel special in Paul’s memory as you move forward in your lives.

Obituaries are submissions, typically from funeral homes, that are not subject to the same level of editorial oversight as the rest of the Hopkinton Independent. Obituaries may be edited for grammatical and factual mistakes and clarifications and shortened for space considerations.