Paul Matthew David

Paul Matthew David Sr. passed away peacefully on March 22, 2023, at the age of 68 surrounded by his loved ones. Paul was born on February 1, 1955 in New Orleans, Louisiana to William and Vera David and was a life-long resident of Metairie, Louisiana. As a young boy, he was nicknamed “Cowboy” by his father, who often took him along on construction jobs. During that time, he eagerly picked up the mechanical skills he refined for the rest of his life.

He worked as a self-employed contractor for over 50 years doing such things as carpentry, construction, electrical, roofing, sheetrock, painting, glasswork, plumbing, flooring and anything needed to get the job done. He was known for his incredible talent of being able to resurrect any old piece of electronics or mechanics that was given to him. He was a wonderful steward of resources and saved many air conditioners from a fate in the landfill.

Paul loved fishing, boating, photography, working with his hands, playing cards, computers, shooting, hot-rodding, collecting and restoring old tools, and anything that was challenging. He had a very strong will and knew what he liked - including plaid shirts and all food, especially crawfish and red beans and rice. He will be remembered for his endless talents, such as beautifully crafted jewelry boxes and furniture, and also his prolific mushroom drawings. More importantly, Paul had a willingness to help anyone, whether they had car trouble, appliance issues, or a computer issue, Paul could not help but help, even if he pretended to give you a hard time about it. If you were lucky enough to know him well, you were familiar enough with his humor to understand.

Big Paul was a unique man who was loved by many, and is survived by his son Paul David Jr. and granddaughter Gabriella David, along with his seven brothers and sisters: Karen, Sandy, Christy, Andrew, Philip, Elizabeth and Stephen. He was preceded in death by his sister Dale. He has many nieces and nephews, and great nieces and nephews as well.