Leonard A. Desautels, Jr., of Plymouth, MA, died on February 18, 2024, after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Len was born in Montague, MA, in 1945, the son of Regina (Walichowski) Desautels and Leonard A. Desautels, Sr. He graduated from Turners Falls High School in 1963 where he lettered in football and baseball. Len attended Greenfield Community College and Central Connecticut State University where he earned his BA in American History. There he met and married his wife Janice soon after they both received their MA’s from Central Connecticut State University and enjoyed 42 years together.
He started his teaching career in Bloomfield, CT after which he and his growing family moved to Plymouth, MA, where Len had accepted a teaching position at Bourne High School. He was a dedicated educator who enjoyed teaching history and coaching basketball. His team won the SMC 3 Championship during the 1984-85 season with an 18-3 record and he was named Coach of the Year. After retiring from Bourne HS, Len continued in education at Quincy Community College where he taught American History courses. He was also an assistant basketball coach at UMass Dartmouth for over 17 years. During a brief reappearance of the ABA (semi-pro) League, he was an assistant coach of the Boston Frenzy.
Len loved coaching basketball and was an avid follower of all sports, particularly the Dodgers. Len was also passionate about American history, especially the Civil War. He enjoyed bringing history alive not just to his students, but his family and friends as well, and frequently traveled to historic sites. When not enjoying sports or history, you could count on Len to have tunes playing. He was an enthusiastic fan of 50’s and 60’s music and collected 45 rpm records as a hobby and to enjoy on his prized jukebox. He particularly enjoyed spending weekends traveling to flea markets and joining friends at record shows to find new additions for this collection. With a smile and a story, he especially enjoyed family holidays and get-togethers, always buoyant, gregarious and fun.
In later life, Len met his companion, Sheri Caron. They enjoyed time together and traveled to Ohio, Aruba, Memphis, Hawaii, and the Southwest. Sheri’s care made it possible for Len to live at home for the vast majority of his later years.
He is survived by his son, Eric (Courtney) of Arlington, VA; his son, Mark of Frederick, MD; his granddaughters, Chloe and Alaina Desautels of Arlington, VA; his sister, Jeanne Daly (Joseph) of Mattapoisett, MA; and his significant other, Sheri Caron of Kingston, MA.
Len was predeceased by his wife, Janice; his parents, Len and Regina Desautels; and his young daughter, Laura.
His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, April 6, 2024 at 11 AM at St. Rita’s Church, 121 Front St., Marion. A private burial will be held in Turners Falls at a later date. In lieu of flowers, Len’s family invites those who wish to do so to contribute to the Alzheimer’s Association: https://www.alz.org. For online guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
