Paul Anthony Taccarino was born on Feb. 6, 1945, in Louisville, Ky., to Frank Paul and Hattie Gudgel Taccarino.

Hattie liked to joke that while Frank was fighting in Europe during WWII at the Battle of the Bulge, she was fighting her own battle of the bulge.

Paul graduated from Mayme S. Waggener High School in Louisville, Ky., in 1963. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Kentucky Southern College (now part of University of Louisville) and a Master of Science in Library Science from the University of Kentucky.

Fluent in French, he studied and served at Defense Language Institute, Monterey, Calif., as part of his military service. After that, he was employed in Library and Information Services at the Army Corps of Engineers in Vicksburg. He retired from there and enjoyed caring for his cats and watching all sports, but baseball was his favorite.

He was predeceased by his parents; his first wife, Joy O’ Connor Taccarino; his second wife, Debra Allen Taccarino; and many aunts and uncles.

He is survived by his sister, Martha “Missy” Taccarino of Raleigh, N.C.; an aunt, Mrs. Florence Dungan of Ocean City, N.J.; an uncle, Mr. John Gudgel of Indianapolis, Ind.; and many cousins.

Paul died on Nov. 18, 2017, and was buried at Pinecrest Cemetery in Mobile, Ala. The family can be reached at 1652 Sutton Drive, Raleigh, N.C. 27605, and requests that you remember him by donating to your local library or animal care society and watch a baseball game!