Paul H. Wunderlich

Paul was born on April 6, 1949 in Chicago, Illinois, to Herbert “Jim” and Helen Wunderlich. In 1951, the family moved to Davie, Florida to get away from the harsh Chicago winters.  As a child, he attended elementary school at the Davie School, now the Old Davie School Historical Museum. He attended Rogers Junior High and Stranahan Senior High, graduating in 1968.

When the Wunderlichs moved to Davie in 1951, they joined the local protestant church – Davie Methodist Church – where they found a supportive church community. Growing up, Paul was an active member of the youth group, the choir, and the Boy Scouts. He received his Eagle Scout Award through Troop 118 shortly before his 18th birthday.

After high school, Paul attended Broward Community College, receiving an Associate’s Degree in horticultural science. He worked in the horticultural field as a salesman and in other capacities during his professional life.

In 1973, Paul met the love of his life, Sara Gill, while singing in the church choir for Christmas. Sara’s father was the pastor of the church at the time. They married in November 1974 and enjoyed their young adult life together. In the 1980s, they welcomed their two daughters, Tina and Kathy. Paul and Sara sang together in the same church choir until 2020.

At the age of 16, Paul started a weekend job at the Miami-Hollywood Speedway, where he discovered his greatest lifelong passion – racing. Throughout the decades, he worked at multiple drag strips as the stager and starter, making sure the racers were safe. He was dedicated to his work and continued even after his ALS diagnosis, finally retiring from the Homestead-Miami Speedway in December 2021. 

Paul also developed his love of singing while in high school, and in 1976, he became a founding member of the Nova Singers. He sang bass with the group for 44 years. 

Paul was an eternal optimist, always positive-thinking and ready to have a good time. He loved to talk to people, tell jokes, and make you smile. He valued his many friendships and made sure to stay connected with his many friends throughout the decades. Even as ALS progressed quickly, Paul remained positive and filled with grace.

Paul is survived by his wife of 47 years, Sara Wunderlich, his two daughters, Tina (Jay) Mermelstein and Kathy (Gerson) Nolasco, and his four grandsons, Alexander, Trent, Leonardo, and Dylan. 

A viewing will be held on Friday, July 22, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Fred Hunter’s Funeral Home, 2401 S University Drive in Davie. 

Church services will be held on Saturday, July 23, with a viewing at 10:00 a.m. and the service starting at 11:00 a.m. at the Community Church of Davie (formerly Davie United Methodist Church), 6500 SW 47th Street in Davie. A potluck luncheon will follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the ALS Association, an organization that supports families affected by ALS and funds ALS research. Follow the link here to give online: https://donate.fl.als.org/Paul-Wunderlich