Grafton – Albert L. Polese, Jr., died Wednesday, June 28, 2023.
Al leaves his beloved wife of 11 years, Elizabeth Polese; 3 children: Anthony Polese, of Palmer, Jill Magnuson and her husband Jeff, and Lauri Remillard and her husband Brett, all of Sutton; 3 stepchildren: Amanda Kampersal and her partner Ryan Parkinson, of Webster, Alison Germain and her husband Dan, of Auburn, and Alaina Baafi, of Webster; 13 grandchildren: Faith, CJ, Kyle, Mia, Lilah, Daniel, Natalia, Mason, Ariella, Amaziah, Matthew, Kai, and Jordan; and a sister Marcia Polese and her husband Charles McSweeney, of Manchester, MA. Al was predeceased by his parents Albert L. and Ida (Arena) Polese, Sr. and his sister Lisa Polese.
Al was born October 27, 1951 in Hempstead, NY. As a young boy, his family moved to Saugus, MA. He graduated from Saugus High School where he was a gymnast and member of the marching band. His education continued at UMASS Amherst for undergraduate studies and Clark University for a Master’s degree. In 2018, he retired after a 38 year career as an Environmental Engineer with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. In the early 80’s, Al moved to Grafton where he raised his family.
Anyone who knew Al knows that he was passionate about drumming, percussion and music in general, whether he was playing or sharing his knowledge of music history. As “The Magnificent Al” he played with numerous bands in the area, and most recently played with a band in New Zealand while there traveling. He was especially proud to have played Memorial Day 2008 at the Nations Capitol.
Al had many interests. He loved motorcycles and owned as many as 8, his favorite being a classic British Triumph. Al loved the ocean and sailing his antique wooden sailboat with his sister Marcia. As a young man he lived in Colorado and traveled to Mexico. Al also enjoyed hiking and mountain climbing, especially his annual Mount Washington climb with his son Tony. More recently, Al traveled to Europe and the Azores and he and Elizabeth together visited England. He also enjoyed woodworking, welding and creating stained glass, mechanical work and gardening. However, more than anything, he most loved spending time with his grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 199 Water St., 11th Floor, New York, NY 10038
The Roney Funeral Home of North Grafton assisted with arrangements.
