By Chauncey Alcorn
The East Elmhurst community is still mourning the loss of community leader Cecil Paris, a U.S. Army veteran who once trained with the Tuskegee Airmen, the nation’s first black military aviation unit.
Paris, 91, died of natural causes May 12. His funeral took place May 18 at St. Gabriel Roman Catholic Church, where he and his family have been active members since moving to East Elmhurst in the 1950s.
Paris was preceded in death by his wife, Mazie, who passed away in January. His children said Cecil had a hard time coping with her death.
“We’ve all had a rough time,” said Arthur Paris, Cecil’s only son. “It’s been a rough year and the year’s not half over.”
Consuelo Paris Celestine, Paris’ eldest daughter, remembered her father as a stern, but loving parent and an educated man with strong roots in his Catholic faith who also worked hard to uplift his community. Paris, a previously non-practicing Christian, became a devout Catholic after being influenced and eventually converted by his late wife, Mazie, who passed away in January. The two grew up taking piano lessons together in Harlem while their families lived there during childhood. His faith became the guiding principle of his life after he retired from the Army.
“My father’s faith was very strong,” Celestine said. “He was a very prayerful man and he got all of us to pray …. We would pray as a family at night before we went to sleep. He would call on the Lord for many things, just to keep the family safe, to keep the family well, not only for ourselves but for our relatives. We went to church every Sunday. God was definitely a part of his life.”
Celestine said her father’s faith led him and his wife to become leaders in the local Catholic community. He was a trustee at St. Gabriel, a member of the parish council and a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic War Veterans.
He also was involved with the Brooklyn-Queens Archdiocese and the Holy Name Society, an organization of men who at the time helped raise money during the church’s financial struggles.
“He and my mother helped bridge people of different communities to come together for the sake of the church, for the sake of the community,” Celestine said. “People would approach them with problems they were having, getting families to sit down with the priests and solve problems and difficulties.”
Paris graduated from City College in 1958 and began working for the Social Security Administration in Jackson Heights. After facing much discrimination, he moved on to the city Department of Social Services, where he worked for 33 years, eventually becoming assistant director of the agency.
Celestine said her father was a strict parent, but her fondest childhood memory of him happened when she was a teenager.
“In high school, I was getting ready to go to my first school prom and I didn’t know any dances,” she said. “He taught me a couple of dances, particularly the two-step. I remember him teaching me how to dance in the dining room. That’s something we did.”
The Rev. Gioacchino Basile, who presided over Paris’ funeral, said Paris was an integral part of the community who helped him when he took over as pastor about two years ago.
“He was a very wonderful person, always ready to help, very generous,” the pastor said. “For the years I was here, I was very impressed with him and also for the people and the respect they had for him.”
Including Celestine, a licensed nurse and community activist, Paris is survived by five children: Dr. Arthur Paris, Dr. Estelle Paris, Charlotte Lee-Ingraham and Charlene Lee. He also has four surviving grandchildren: Dana, Anna, Anika and Thano.
Reach reporter Chauncey Alcorn by e-mail at calcorn@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
