Donald W. Paine

Donald W. Paine, 88, organist and music director, passed away peacefully at home on August 12.

He leaves his wife Brigitte A. (Ullrich) Paine. He also leaves his son, Rainer, two grandchildren May and Maximilian, his twin brother Curtis, his nephew Brian, and niece Cynthia.

Born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1938, Donald was the son of Frank H. Paine and Beatrice E. (Horne) Paine. He graduated from Worcester’s South High School and subsequently received a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Music degree in Music History and Organ Performance from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

As an educator, he served as the Director of Choral and Classroom Music for grades 7 through 12 at Bartlett High School in Webster, Massachusetts. For sixteen years, he managed the Choral and Organ Music and Publications departments at Carl Fischer of Boston, Inc., and later at the Boston Music Company.

Donald served as an organist and director at the First Congregational Church of Sutton, the Village Congregational Church in Whitinsville, and interim positions at the First Unitarian Church of Needham and the Swedenborgian Church in Cambridge. For thirty-five years he served as the Organist and Director of Music at Saint Mary of the Annunciation Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for which he received a resolution of thanks from the City of Cambridge.

A memorial service celebrating Donald’s life will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at the First Congregational Church of Sutton, Massachusetts, 307 Boston Road.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Donald's memory may be directed to:

First Congregational Church of Sutton 307 Boston Road, Sutton, MA 01590

Boston Chapter, American Guild of Organists https://www.agohq.org/