Paul F. Heffernan

Paul F. Heffernan of Lakewood passed away peacefully on November 4, 2025. Having a special gift for inspiring love in all whose lives he touched, he will be missed by family, friends and caretakers. Paul was born on May 6, 1960 in Cleveland to Patrick and Margot Heffernan. Developmentally disabled from birth, he grew up in Lyndhurst, attending the special education programs of the South Euclid-Lyndhurst school system at Victory Park Elementary School, Memorial Junior High School and Charles F. Brush High School, where he helped out the sports teams. As an adult, he lived in group homes mainly on Cleveland’s West Side, finding employment through the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities as a maintenance worker in office buildings.

Until his recent illness, Paul lived in a home in Lakewood run by North Shore Residential Services of Berea. Paul was a familiar sight there, as he loved to walk around the neighborhood, visit friendly shopkeepers and greet passers-by. He enjoyed telling jokes, especially of the “Why did the chicken cross the road?” variety. He was an excellent bowler, nonchalantly collecting strikes while opponents knocked only a few pins down. Paul was active at St. Luke Catholic Church. He loved visiting his sister and her husband, Maureen and James Krueger, who lived in the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York, where Paul similarly was known and loved by many.

Paul will be missed for his cheerful and jocular disposition and his love for people. He is survived by his brother John, by Maureen and James, and many aunts, uncles and cousins. Family and friends will be received on Friday, November 14, 2025, from 10 AM to 11 AM at Holy Angels Catholic Church, 18205 Chillicothe Rd., Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44023. A Funeral Mass will follow at 11 AM and then a burial at Aurora Cemetery.