Pasquale W. 'Pat' Arena

Waltham – Mr. Pasquale W. 'Pat' Arena, of Waltham, died Wednesday September 12, 2018 in Southern New Hampshire Medical Center. He was 92.

Pat was born in Framingham on April 1, 1926, a son of the late Giovanni and Jennie (Infererre) Arena, and moved to Waltham with his family as a child. He grew up in Waltham surrounded by a large family and developed a love . . . and a keen talent . . . for drawing in grade school. His career composition for Miss Turner's eighth grade class at South Junior High School was 'Cartoonist'.

During World War II Pat joined the United States Navy and after the war enrolled at New England School of Art, graduating in 1949. He later earned an associate's degree in business management from Northeastern University. Until his retirement he worked for more than forty years for the Raytheon Company as a lithographer and artist/illustrator and cartoonist.

Pat's cartoons first appeared in Navy publications and over the decades in newspapers locally and around the country. While he worked at Raytheon he also taught for twenty-seven years at the DeCordova Museum in Lincoln. He later taught at schools in Wellesley, Weston and in Wayland.

Pat also became the art director of the Waltham Museum and was a frequent lecturer at the Waltham Public Library. He had a talent for playing the piano and a passion for playing chess. He became one of the founders of the Waltham Chess Club.

His favorite sports team was the Boston Celtics and he cherished their golden era when Johnny Most gave colorful and illustrative play by play on the radio. Fall was also special when he took the grandkids on the annual apple picking journey.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Ruth M. (Uberti) Arena; his children, Patricia Arena of Weston, Jeanne Melnick (Paul) of Center Harbor, New Hampshire, Carolyn Harms (Craig) of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, Joseph Arena (Maureen) of Hudson, New Hampshire, James Arena of Framingham and Thomas Arena (Renée) of Waltham; his grandchildren, Daniel, David, Brandon, Garrett, Rebecca, Brianna, Joseph and Justin; his great-grandchild, Brayden; his siblings, Anthonino Arena of Waltham, Grace Rooney of Natick, Rose Clasby of Foxboro, Mary Vallerand of Waltham, Joseph Arena of Florida, James Arena of Florida and Nickolas Arena of Southbridge and many nieces and nephews.

He was also the father of the late John Arena and brother of the late Orazzio, John and Albert Arena.

Family and friends will honor and remember Pat's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Monday, September 17th from 4 to 8 p.m. and again at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning before leaving in procession to Saint Jude Church, 147 Main Street, Waltham where his Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Waltham.

Memorial donations may be made to The Waltham Museum, 25 Lexington Street, Waltham, MA 02452.