Paul R. Counihan

Paul Raftis Counihan, 65, passed away on May 4, 2017 in Orlando, Florida, surrounded by his family. He is survived by his loving wife of 28 years, Tommie Counihan, daughter and son Christina (Christi) Norris and Robert (Bobby) Counihan, step daughter and step son Jenifer Palmer and Bertram Arnold Ribbey III, grandchildren Jake, Gracie, Ava Jane, and Gabriel Paul Norris, and sister Jane Nelson. More than that, he is survived by all who met him and were touched by his contagious smile and zest for life. Paul was born on November 16, 1951 in St. Petersburg, Florida to Alice Raftis Counihan and John Joseph Counihan. With an early love for the sea and a natural curiosity about the world around him, in 1969 at the age of 18, he enlisted in the US Navy. A smart, driven, and dedicated young man with a keen attention for detail, he decided early on to pursue a career as a Yeoman and, in his 22 and a half years of service, advanced to the rate of Senior Chief Petty Officer (YNCS). While early in his career he expressed some interest in the world of aircrafts, it was not long until he discovered his true calling – submarines. During his career, he proudly served on several submarine vessels largely responsible for strategic deterrent patrols and missile testing, including the USS Benjamin Franklin, USS Will Rogers, and the USS Lewis and Clark. His stations included the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Memphis, Tennessee, US Naval Air Station in Keflavik, Iceland, Naval Submarine School in Groton, Connecticut (where he graduated first in his class), the Enlisted Placement Management Center in New Orleans, Louisiana (where he met and married his wife, Tommie) and at various times in his career in Orlando, Florida at the Navy Recruit Training Command and later the Naval Nuclear Power School. His awards and accolades during his career are many, including the Navy Achievement Medal, the Medal of Good Conduct, and the National Defense Service Medal among others. After retiring from the US Navy in 1992, he went on to serve with the State of Florida, working as a Sales Operations Manager at the Florida Lottery (1992-2005) and Operations Management Consultant at the Florida Department of Education Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (2005-2016). These details were important to him and helped define who he was and where he had been, but they are only a part of the person that he was to those who loved him most. Those who knew him knew a man who exuded inquisitiveness about the world around him and the people in it, a man who expressed devotion to his wife and family, and a man who savored in the details of life both big and small. He loved to cook and commiserate with others over a cold beer (or two). He enjoyed boating, fishing, and spending time to learn about the world around him and the unique stories of others. His smile was a large as the ocean, and you could not help but feel his beaming pride and love for his family as we shared countless family milestones, weddings, births and birthdays, holidays, and all other special occasions. Anyone who met Paul quickly found that they had gained a new friend; a person both humble and grateful for the experience of meeting them. He had a smile and a warm word or hand to offer until the very end, and our family and others treasured his strength, positivity, and the love that he exuded even through his final days. These are the details that are most important to our family and his friends and are the things that defined him. These are the details that we will cherish and that make us all feel so lucky to have known and spent time with him. As we honor Paul and allow him to enter his final rest, we carry these countless details in our heart with the knowledge that he lived life well and to its fullest. To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one's self; to leave the world a little better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded. Bessie Anderson Stanley