Steven J Pagliarulo

Steve Pagliarulo, a devoted husband and father who served on the Natick Police Department for nearly four decades, died on Thursday in Framingham, Mass. He was 75.

He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Marie Williams; his son, Ned Pagliarulo, and daughter-in-law, Michaela, of Washington, D.C.; his aunt Licia Lee, of Perry, Florida; and many cousins.

A lifelong resident of Natick, Steve anchored communities of friends across his career and many hobbies. He was a blacksmith and woodworker, a student of philosophy and a disciplined practitioner of Uechi-ryu karate.

Steve joined the Natick Police in 1977 as an auxiliary and rose through the ranks to become a patrolman, detective, sergeant and lieutenant. He helped train officers in self-defense, coordinated regional emergency response plans and was commended several times for his bravery in the line of duty. He retired in 2013.

Before joining the force, Steve ran a blacksmithing business, specializing in railings and decorative ironwork. He kept a small forge for much of his life and enjoyed doing metalwork for friends and family.

Steve found meaning in martial arts and in philosophy. He trained in Uechi-ryu karate at the dojos of Walter Mattson and Joe Graziano, achieving an eighth dan black belt after a lifetime of dedicated study and practice. He was also for many years an active member of a Boston-area philosophy group that studied the teachings of George Gurdjieff and Willem Nyland.

An avid hiker and gardener, Steve knew how to spot an edible mushroom (although he never trusted himself enough to eat one), had a knack for growing tomatoes, and never got lost. His wife and son have many fond memories of exploring New Hampshire’s White Mountains with him.

Steve was born in Natick to Joe Pagliarulo and Ellen Suihkonen.

Visiting Hours at the John Everett & Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park Street, NATICK COMMON on Monday, August 3, 2026, from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm and Tuesday, August 4, 2026, from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm. Interment following the visitation period on Tuesday at Dell Park Cemetery in Natick. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend.

In lieu of flowers, his family would appreciate donations to the Michael J. Fox Foundation in support of Parkinson’s disease research: Donate | Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Disease Research

For online guestbook and directions, please visit: www.everettfuneral.com

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