Father Roman, Oneonta Pastor, Dean Of Otsego County Priests

3-26-10

The Rev. Paul A. Roman, who was dean of Otsego County Catholic priests while serving as pastor of St. Mary’s in 1989-2003 in Oneonta, died Monday, March 22.  He was 73.
A diocesan priest for 38 years, Father Roman passed away at St. Peter’s Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Albany, after a long illness.
Paul Anthony Roman was born Jan. 15, 1937, in Albany, to Alexander and Frances (Kolakowska) Roman, the fourth child of 11 children.
He attended St. Casimir and St. Joseph’s Academy, and Philip Livingston and Albany high schools.
Before entering Mater Christi Seminary in 1962, he had served as a sergeant in the National Guard, and for the state Court of Claims and the Office of Audit and Control. He studied at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Yonkers, was ordained in 1971 and assigned to St. James Church, Albany.
He became district director of religious education in Warren, then Fulton counties.  He ministered at St. Paul the Apostle Church, Schenectady, and taught at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons High School there.
He was a pastor in Granville before his assignment to Oneonta, retiring from St. Mary’s in 2003 after a brief illness.
Father Roman was predeceased by his parents and by a brother, Anthony (Edie) Roman.
Survivors include four other brothers, John (Joyce) Roman of Watervliet, Frank Roman of Seminole, Fla., George Roman of Hollywood, Fla., and Charles (Marilyn) Roman of Altamont, and five sisters, Mary Zwink of Colonie, Sister Barbara Roman RSM of Slingerlands, Irene Roman of Delmar, and Frances (Richard) Egan and Paulette Roman, both of Albany. Also, many nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, great-grandnieces and a great-grandnephew.
The funeral was planned at 11 a.m. Friday, March 26, at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Delmar.  Calling hours were 4-8 p.m. the day before, also at St. Thomas.  Burial was to follow in Our Lady of Angels Cemetery, Colonie.