Louis A. Vangel

Louis A. Vangel of Weymouth and Deerfield Beach, FL, died March 22, 2015.

Louis grew up in Boston, attended Boston Public Schools and graduated from Boston English High School. He went on to attend Boston University and enlisted in the United States Army after his freshman year in 1953 and served in Korea during the Korean Conflict. Honorably discharged and was awarded disability in connection with his service. He was a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans. Upon return from the Korean Conflict, Lou entered Suffolk University where he graduated. After graduation, Lou taught in the Boston Public Schools. He later served as Business Agent for the Boston Teachers Union. He led the negotiating team for the first collective bargaining agreement for teachers in Boston in the 1960’s. He was recruited by the National Education Association (”NEA”) in 1969 where he negotiated teacher contracts and organized elections for new locals for the rest of his career until 1987. During his tenure, the NEA grew from approximately 600,000 to over 2 million members in part due to his organizing efforts. Lou was a competitive swimmer and taught swimming to a number of inner city youth at the Cabot Street pool. He was a horse racing aficionado and owned interests in various thoroughbred racehorses over the years. He spent many an August in Saratoga and had been a longtime resident of Deerfield Beach, Florida. 

Former husband and dear friend of the late Roma L. (Byrne) Vangel. Devoted father of Michael Vangel and his wife Beth and Thomas Vangel and his wife Paula, all of Hingham. Cherished grandfather of Amy, Dennis, Charles and Thomas Vangel. Loving brother of Lillian Ladoulis and her husband Steven of West Roxbury and the late Ernest Vangel. Uncle of Andrea Ladoulis, Marisa Likhite, Theodore Ladoulis and Candace Vangel Harpole. 

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the visiting hours on Thursday 5-8 PM in the McDonald Keohane Funeral Home SOUTH WEYMOUTH at 809 Main Street (Rte 18 opp. So. Shore Hospital) 

Relatives and friends will gather in the funeral home at 9:30 AM Friday prior to the Funeral Mass in St. Agatha Church, Milton at 10:30 AM.

Burial in Milton Cemetery, Milton.

In lieu of flowers donations in memory of Lou may be made to the Fanconi Anemia Research Fund, 1801 Willamette Street, Suite 200, Eugene, OR 97401.