Dr. Paul Raymond Motyka

Dr. Paul Raymond Motyka, age 86, of Acton, Massachusetts, passed away unexpectedly on March 10, 2026. Born in Buffalo, New York, on December 29, 1939, he was the son of Louis and Mary (Swiatek) Motyka.

He is survived by his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, his wife of more than 63 years, Patricia, and their four daughters and their spouses: Karen Motyka and Maria Cole of Lunenburg, Massachusetts, Jennifer and Matthew Bedard of Dracut, Massachusetts, Marlene Motyka and Jonathon Lawrence of Short Hills, New Jersey, and Rachel and Kevin O’Connor of Bedford, New Hampshire. Paul was the proud grandfather of six grandsons: Daniel O’Connor, Ryan O’Connor, Peter Lawrence, Eric Lawrence, and step-grandsons Jeffrey Bedard and Bryan Bedard. He took great pride in the young men they became. He is also survived by his brothers, Louis and Raymond, and was predeceased by his sister, MaryAnn.

Paul earned Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D. degrees in engineering and a Bachelor’s degree in American Studies from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He began his career at Calspan Corporation designing control systems for variable stability inflight aircraft simulators. In 1976, he and his family moved to Acton, where he later joined Draper Laboratory. He worked there until his retirement in 2005 as Director of Algorithms and Software, contributing to aerospace guidance systems, helicopter vibration reduction, and autonomous underwater vehicle mission systems. In retirement, he devoted himself to volunteer work, assisting at the Acton Council on Aging, delivering Meals on Wheels, and preparing income taxes for seniors through the AARP Tax-Aide Program. For more than sixteen years, he participated in the Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital Aging Brain Study and donated his brain to the program.

A devoted family man, Paul was a lifelong history buff with a particular interest in World War II and genealogy. He and Patricia traveled extensively throughout Europe, Japan, China, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Scotland, and Great Britain, including a meaningful visit to the small Polish village where his father was born and where they met extended family. He was an avid reader, enjoyed crossword puzzles, silent films, woodworking, collecting kaleidoscopes and baseball memorabilia, creating stained glass, brewing beer, card magic, bridge, and daily walks. A passionate Red Sox fan and season ticket holder for more than twenty years, he was a member of the Society for American Baseball Research and attended games in 32 Major League stadiums. He coached his daughters in their early athletic years and later found great joy in cheering on his grandsons in baseball, hockey, wrestling, and lacrosse. He will be remembered for his sharp intellect, endless curiosity, generous spirit, and legendary frugality. His love of learning, family, and adventure will continue to inspire all who knew him.