Paul “Babe” Dinan, 93, passed away on Thursday, December 8, 2022, at Overlook Hospital in Summit after a brief illness. Born in Dobbs Ferry, New York, he grew up in Irvington-on-Hudson. He met his wife of 57 years, Susan, while employed in Burlington, VT for the Kimberly-Clarke Corp. In 1973, he joined his older brother’s Madison Avenue firm, Dinaco, Inc. and moved to Westfield, NJ with their three children. Dinaco’s specialty was point-of-purchase advertising for major corporations like Exxon, PepsiCo and Titleist.
Paul was a standout athlete at Irvington High School where his record for the 100-yard dash still stands. He was awarded athletic scholarships to both NC State and, later, Utah State, where he graduated with a degree in education. At both colleges, he excelled in football and baseball. A knee injury prevented him from pursuing inquiries from the NY Giants, the Chicago Bears and the San Francisco 49ers. He also had a tryout with the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field and played a year of professional baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates farm team. Paul then served in the US Army during the Korean War. During his corporate career, he became an avid golfer and longtime member of Plainfield Country Club. Although he didn’t start playing golf until his 30s, he had three hole-in-ones. He will be remembered for his razor-sharp wit, sense of humor and easy-going personality. His friendships were long and true. Surviving are his wife, Susan Edwards Dinan; his sons, Paul Dinan, Jr. and Tim Dinan (and his wife, Jill); his grandson, Teddy; his daughter, Tracey Dinan (and her husband, Noel). He was predeceased by his parents, Michael and Therese, and his brother, James.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Irvington Historical Society (https://irvingtonhistoricalsociety.org/).Private arrangements are by Memorial Funeral Home in Fanwood. To leave a remembrance on the guestbook, visit www.fanwoodmemorial.com.
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