John A. Isdell

John Alan Isdell, whom many knew as “Paco,” passed away at home surrounded by family on July 17, 2026.

Paco will be remembered for living life uniquely, with an understated and surprising flair for artistry and a commitment to celebrating the simple or even dingy parts of life.

Born to Nelson and Carole (Little) Isdell of Delmar, New York on December 30, 1953, John was a student at Bethlehem Central High School.

It was there in 1971 that he met Cynthia (Shaw), who was hooked on him from day one. They were married in 1973 at the age of 19 and remained together for over 25 years until Cynthia’s passing in 1998. They had three children- John (Matti), Zoë, and Chelsea.

As a dad, Paco was at times the baseball or hockey coach and at others he was fostering opportunities to lovingly embarrass his kids, whether threatening to wear outlandish outfits to the mall or hanging racoon tails from the ceiling of the family dining room. Though, there was perhaps nothing more embarrassing than when teenage friends would whisper about his “dreaminess”.

It’s true that over the years, his looks were compared to one movie star or the other, something he never aspired to (though he was admittedly vain). He enjoyed dressing well, but if you looked closely, you’d often find a hole or a stain, his garment very likely second hand. No one could pull off a look quite like Paco.

Shortly after Cynthia’s passing, John met Christina Moloney through mutual friends and they married in 2004. Paco and Christina shared a love of books and movies, cooking, dining out, music, and traveling. Christina loved Paco’s style but encouraged him to occasionally buy a new pair of jeans or a sweater without holes. They remained married until Christina’s sudden passing on February 1st of this year.

Paco was self-described as “a brick layer who did stone masonry.” His career spanned the gamut of working for union groups to being self-employed. He took extreme pride in the work he did and was most proud when he was able to bring his personal creativity into projects.

It wasn’t always obvious on the surface, but Paco truly was an Artist, not just in his work, but in life. He wrote beautiful poetry, was a natural musician, cooked delicious meals, and was a painter. He was a master of sarcasm and humor and he carried quick wit. He deeply appreciated the arts and artists, but also the beauty in things that others may dismiss as old, broken, or weird.

Perhaps one of the things he will be most remembered for were his holiday gifts. Every year he would pull out relics from the basement, now long forgotten, wrap them up dust and all and surprise unsuspecting family members with treasures they never knew they wanted. Even more surprising were trinkets like earrings made from his own blackened toenails.

Though he was far from simple, Paco relished in life’s simplistic joys- a breeze on the porch, good conversation, a perfectly timed joke, a well-made cocktail, scratching a lotto ticket, and of course his signature Marlboro Lights.

In his own words, “A place where the splintering of wood or the shattering of glass evoked a giddy feeling of Euphoria instead of a sinking feeling of dread or regret… My Face, now dented and scarred, My smile off kilter and bits broken, My Appearance unsightly and unkept to others and has seen Better days. But…I am AT HOME. I AM ONE OF THOSE PLACES.”

Paco lived a life that was by no means perfect, yet many people have said, “there was just something about him.” In the wake of his passing, he has been described by many as legendary and iconic. He was uniquely Paco and unapologetically so.

Paco is survived by his children John Matteo Isdell, Zoë Isdell, and Chelsea Sweeney (Brian); his sisters Cathy Schaefer (Joe) and Barbara Duclos (Joe); his grandchildren Oliver Reil, Francis Sweeney, and Grace Sweeney; and numerous nieces and nephews and brothers and sisters in law. He is also survived by many lifelong friends, including his long-time work partner, Joe Belville. Paco was predeceased by niece Molly Schaefer and nephew Aidan Hernandez.

Paco’s family would like to thank Community Hospice for their critical support in the final months of his life. Importantly, they also extend deep appreciation to Certified Nursing Assistant Antoinette Coffin for her compassionate caregiving and to Daniela Filmer for her unwavering commitment to supporting families in finding reliable home health services.

In keeping with his wishes, there will be no formal services. An informal open house celebration at his home will take place on August 1 from 2-5. For those unable to attend, the family encourages enjoying a good meal or a good cocktail in his honor.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to Night Out for You: https://www.nightoutforyou.org/donate/