Richard "Pudgy" Parella

Richard A. “Pudgy” Parella, 77, of Millbury, passed away on Tuesday, November 30, 2021, at UMass Hospital.

Richard is survived by his loving wife of fifty-six years, Theresa Jane (Wunschel) Parella; a son, Mark J. Parella and his wife Tammy St. Pierre-Parella of Millbury; two daughters, Lisa M. Parella and his former daughter-in-law Michelle Burke of Holden, and Susan J. Arrell and her husband Michael of Millbury; a brother, Frank Parella, Jr. of Grafton; two sisters, Arlene Army of Auburn, and Jeanne Marshall of Maine; nine grandchildren, Joshua, Ashleigh, Jacob, Jackson, Trey, Elena, Madalyn, Isabella, and Victoria; nieces and nephews.  Richard was born in Worcester, son of the late, Frank Sr. and Annette (Pelletier) Parella, and has lived in Millbury all his life.

Pudgy was blue-collar to the core with an impeccable work ethic, spending most of his career as an electrical mechanic, working on the wiring and electrical components of all kinds of cars, trucks, and other construction vehicles. He had many accomplishments to be proud of. One was the B&R Exxon station which he co-owned and operated for 10 years. This allowed him to experience the oil embargo from the other side of the consumer.  He then started his own automotive electrical repair company, J & R Electric, which he operated from home for 20 years. Some of his clientele included the police and DPW departments of Millbury, Worcester and the surrounding towns, as well as large construction companies. One thing that set his service apart is that he incorporated being an on-call, mobile repair service into his business. It was not unheard of for the business line to ring in the middle of the night from a customer broken down on the side of the road. He would get in his red Chevy Silverado and head out to try to get them back up and running. Before retiring he proudly worked for 495 Truck in Marlboro for many years. While there, he was asked to assist one night with a need that they had in the construction of the Tobin Bridge.  Another highlight is when he put new tires on Shaquille O’Neal’s truck. When he decided to retire, he kept busy working as a bus driver for AA Transportation.

Pudgy was a member of Our Lady of Assumption Parish.  He had a love for many sports – bowling, the Red Sox, Patriots and the Bruins, and watching game shows.  He enjoyed bowling, fishing, and had a passion for his vegetable garden. “Flowers – what are they good for. You can’t eat them.” It increased in size every year! Another hobby he delved into was collectables- Beanie Babies, McDonalds toys and displays, and seasonal, special edition Barbies to name a few.

Above all else, he had a strong love for his family, which he most prominently displayed in his actions. There is nothing he wouldn’t do for them.  He was at the ready to help any time it was needed, and it was always “no big deal.” It was true joy for him to be in the company of his children and grandchildren.

Death is a part of life – the most difficult part for those left behind that love you.  We will all miss you terribly.

At his request, there are no calling hours, flowers or funeral services.  A Celebration of His Life will be held at a time and date to be announced.

The family has entrusted Mercadante Funeral Home & Chapel.