Sheldon Paradis, coach, avid marathoner; at 68

From his high school and college football days to many races and marathons, Shank Paradis was a born athlete.

"We ran thousands of miles together - in summer heat and humidity, spring thunderstorms, through the falling leaves of autumn, and the New England nor'easters," said Bill Marro of Cottonwood, Ariz., a running partner and friend of 30 years. "Every time I ran with Shank, at some point in the run, no matter how short or long, no matter the weather, no matter the injury, Shank would say, 'What a great day.' "

Sheldon D. "Shank" Paradis Jr., avid Boston Marathon runner and longtime Haverhill resident, died Sept. 26 at Wingate at Haverhill. He was 68.

Mr. Paradis was born in Haverhill, and he graduated from Haverhill High School in 1958. He attended Boston College and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he played football.

He ran his first marathon in Maine in the 1980s and his first Boston Marathon the following year in about three hours and 15 minutes, Marro said.

"We ran through three divorces, seven children, many failed relationships, jobs, deaths of friends, and all our downfalls and victories, good times and bad," Marro said. "He was possibly the best man I have ever known."

Mr. Paradis ran more than 20 marathons, including the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., and the cross-country-style Nipmuck Trail Marathon in Connecticut, which he called "the longest 36-mile marathon," said his wife , Eileen T. Devlin, of Raymond, N.H.

In his later years, Mr. Paradis became a biathlete, competing in the Wildman Biathlon in Shelburne, N.H., where he placed in the top three for his age bracket in three out of six years.

In races, Mr. Paradis was "like a machine," his wife said, but his friends and family fondly remembered that he ran on a different schedule for everything else.

"He ran on what we call 'Shank time,' " his wife said. "He was never on time, but he'd always be there for you. He'd just probably be late."

"Shank was always late for our run, no matter if we were to meet at 6 a.m., 6 p.m., noon, anytime," Marro said. "I always waited because I knew he would always wait for me."

He extended his love for all things athletic as a youth and high school sports coach, spending 1968 to 1970 as a football coach at Timberlane Regional High School in Plaistow, N.H., and from 1970 to 1978 with Haverhill Youth Football. He also coached baseball in the Merrimac Babe Ruth League for several years and refereed football games for local leagues.

"His personality was so affable," said his wife. "He was extremely sociable, a true people person, as honest as the day is long. I think 'a gentleman' would just about sum it up, and you don't meet a whole lot of those anymore."

He worked for about 30 years as an insurance and securities broker for Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.

Mr. Paradis donated his brain to the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University, his wife said, to study the effects of concussions he suffered in high school and college.

"Hopefully, they'll learn something from it," said his son, Sean, of Seabrook, N.H. "He's still giving back in his death."

In addition to his wife of four years and his son, Mr. Paradis leaves another son, Sheldon D. "Shank" III, of Berlin; two daughters, Lisa Paradis-MacGregor of Bolton, and Jessica J. of Salisbury; two brothers, Wayne of Canton, Ohio, and Brian of Brookline N.H.; seven grandchildren; and three stepchildren, Beth Melnikas of North Andover, Andrea Melnikas of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Ryan Melnikas of Medford.

Services have been held.