A private Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, October 4, 2025 at 12:00 PM at St. Anne Catholic Church for family and friends, with a reception to follow at Striffler-Hamby Funeral Home.
Paul was born on December 22, 1938, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Beatrice and Colonel Paul C. Serff. After World War II, he spent part of his childhood in Frankfurt, Germany, where his father was stationed with the U.S. Army. He later graduated from Columbus High School in 1957 and went on to earn a degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1961. He continued his education and received a Master of Business Administration from Emory University.
In 1964, Paul married the love of his life, Glenda Payne. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in November of 2024, a testament to a lifetime of love and devotion.
Paul had a long and distinguished career with General Mills companies including Talbots, Donruss and over 20 years with Tom’s Foods Inc., where he served as Executive Vice President of Human Resources for 20 years. He was also a proud veteran, serving as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army at Fort Irwin Army Base in Barstow, California.
Throughout his life, Paul was dedicated to service and leadership in his community. He was an active member of the Columbus Rotary Club, served on the Board of Directors of the Columbus Urban League for 11 years, was a member of the Knights of Columbus and was instrumental in implementing the Columbus Adopt-A-School program. He was a member and former secretary of the Chi Phi Fraternity at Georgia Tech and enjoyed his involvement in the Columbus, Georgia, and Destin, Florida Corvette Clubs. He also shared countless memories attending SEC basketball tournaments with dear friends.
Paul found joy in many hobbies, including duck hunting, golfing, reading, collecting antiques, and traveling. He especially loved spending time by the ocean or in the mountains, but nothing brought him more happiness than being surrounded by his family and walking his beloved dog, Bucky.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Colonel Paul Cyril Serff and Beatrice Kulnick Serff, and his brother-in-law, Roy Lindquist
Paul is survived by his cherished wife, Glenda Payne Serff; his three sons, Bradley Payne Serff (Dawn), Jared Paul Serff (Angie), and Jeffrey Michael Serff (Tammy); six beloved grandchildren, Ashton Serff Williams (Chase), Charlotte Serff Boland (Whit), Sidney Paige Serff, Haley Alexandra Serff, Marshall McLean Serff, and Manning Paul Serff; his sister, Sara Serff Lindquist; and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to the Columbus Georgia Alzheimer’s Association https://www.alz.org/form=FUNDHYMMBXU or locally to MercyMed of Columbus at mercymedcolumbus.com/support-mercymed/
