Paul Charles Cote

Paul C. Cote, 91, died on 12/29/2020 at the Dexter Health Care nursing home. He was born in Dover, New Hampshire on August 25, 1929 the oldest child of Antoinette (Gosselin) Cote Paddleford and Armand Cote.

Raised in a French speaking home during his early years, it was not until elementary school that Paul learned to speak English. From an early age, Paul was adventurous and industrious, delivering milk to neighborhood families almost as soon as he could push his little wagon. On weekends, as a teen, when he wasn’t competing at track meets, he worked as an usher at a movie theatre and at a bakery creating both the simpler treats as well as elaborate wedding cakes. He graduated from Concord High School with many classmates who remained lifelong friends. Following graduation, he joined the Army National Guard and there he found his true calling and passion. He was stationed in different parts of the United States until he made the decision to leave as a future assignment would have sent him to Australia for six months, a move that would not have been in the best interest of his young family. After leaving the military, Paul worked for Sanders Associates under contract with the Department of Defense. His interest and abilities in math and electronics prepared him for a specialization in working on complex military radar systems. After ten years, Paul returned to the Army National Guard where he served a combined total of thirty-four years of service, retiring in 1989. Paul’s work ethic and performance were impeccable, and he was often sought out for additional assignments: teaching at the military academy, acting as an interpreter when needed, occasionally being “loaned” to another branch of the military for his skillset and even acquiring clearance at the FBI on select projects. Throughout his career, he earned awards recognizing his achievements as well as marksmanship on the shooting range. He was a humble and just leader who could be depended upon to develop other leaders. Never an idle man, Paul emerged from retirement to accept a position at the New Hampshire Office of Emergency Management where he worked on instrument calibration until 1996 when he officially retired and moved to Maine.

Paul met and married his “once in a lifetime love,” Elaine (Miller) Cote in 1959 and they were able to celebrate 45 years of marriage. He often shared with others that Elaine was “goodness personified.” Together, they were a “Camelot couple” raising two daughters. Paul often credited Elaine with the parental “heavy lifting,” greatly underestimating what he offered to his daughters. Whether it was helping with homework or teaching a lesson about life, he inspired, encouraged, believed in and loved his family unconditionally. He looked at each day as a clean slate and made a deliberate choice to see the best in people. Repeatedly, he shared his basic tenets about life with his daughters believing that these beliefs would provide the roots for later decisions they would make as adult women. Push yourself beyond what you think is possible. Forgive others. You always have choices; choose wisely.

Paul’s interests were many. In his younger years he was quite the dancer and enjoyed big band music. He liked deep sea fishing, playing cribbage, cheering on his favorite basketball and baseball teams, vegetable gardening, cooking, crossword puzzles, sudoku and talking with everyone. It was his role, however, as a grandfather that brought endless joy to his later years. He loved being a part of his grandsons’ lives and watching them grow into young men.

Paul is survived by a daughter, Stephanie, and her husband, Brent, of Guilford, Maine, and their two sons Jacob and Jeremy; and a daughter, Susan, and her husband, Todd, of Brunswick , Maine, and their four sons Stephen, Andrew, Michael and Joseph as well as one sister, two brothers, nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by his wife Elaine, an infant daughter he never had the chance to know in this lifetime and two sisters.

Paul often turned to his Christian faith throughout his life to steady him during trials and while it is true that we mourn his passing, we believe that on the other side, many loved ones are rejoicing at his homecoming and that the Lord has lovingly greeted Paul with the words “Well done, my son.”

A funeral service will be conducted 2PM Monday January 4, 2021 at the Birmingham Funeral Home 438 Main St Old Town where friends may call from 12 noon until time of service.

For anyone wishing to make a memorial donation, the family suggests a gift to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Maine www.nationalmssociety.org or the American Diabetes Association www.diabetes.org