Mr. Paul R. DeFrancis
1960 1961 1962
Paul R. DeFrancis, of Kinnelon, NJ, a professional musician and high school guidance counselor, died Wednesday, August 17, 1994. He was 72.
Mr. DeFrancis encouraged students at Kinnelon High School to develop their artistic talents, said his son, Marc of Arlington, Va.
"I think he liked very much working with young people and encouraging them to believe in themselves and pursuing their own special gifts," his son said. "He went out of his way to encourage careers in the arts. He thought himself as an antidote to social pressure to make money. He encouraged kids to pursue careers in the arts while other counselors discouraged it because there wasn't much money in it."
Mr. DeFrancis played clarinet, flute and tenor saxophone. He played with the orchestras of Bill Harrington, Lester Lannin, Peter Duchin and Alex Donner. He co-founded the Century Trio with Louis Gordon, a pianist. He was a featured soloist at Maxim's, New York.
Born in Steubenville, Ohio, he moved to Fair Lawn before moving to Kinnelon in 1962. Mr. DeFrancis was a guidance counselor at Kinnelon High school for 15 years, serving several years as director of guidance before retiring in 1977.
Mr. DeFrancis was the founding director of the Performing and Visual Arts Society, a national honors society for high school students.
"He felt there was a need to encourage kids to feel that it was OK to go into the arts as an avocation or a career, to have talent and pursue it."
His son explained that the Performing and Visual Arts Society recognizes students for their artistic accomplishments as the National Honors Society recognizes academic achievements. About six schools on the East Coast have chapters, and the organization is growing, according to Marc DeFrancis.
Mr. DeFrancis seraved as a B-17 bombardier with the Army Air Corps during World War II and for a time was based in Italy.
His son said Mr. DeFrancis was known for being very liberal in his politics. However, his son said, that his fatherwas very proud of serving in World War II. "He felt very strongly about the moral purpose of fighting fascism."
He was a member of the Italian Culture Society of Kinnelon and the Fayson Lakes Yacht Club, Kinnelon.
In addition to his son, he is survived by his wife, the former Helen Burzi; two other sons, Chris A. of Denver and Greg F. of Norwich, Vt.; a daughter, Lisa A. of Norwich, Vt., and seven grandchildren.