He grew up on an acreage by Kent City, Michigan. His formal education began in a one-room schoolhouse till sixth grade, then he attended Kent City School. He graduated from there in June of 1966. At this time, the Vietnam War was in full action. Paul was drafted into service in the Navy. He did his boot camp training at Great Lakes Naval Station. Because of his attention to details and several others, he was recommended for ceremonial guard duty stationed at Washington D.C. Paul enjoyed this spit-shine duty, but going to be at the funerals of guys his own age and presenting the flag to family members was always hard. All of the marching and standing were very hard on his deformed, arthritic feet. This put him in to Bethesda Hospital. When the doctor examined his feet, his question was, “How did you make it into service?” At his point they gave him two options: either go on board a ship or get an honorable medical discharge. At this point, he had a girlfriend, and as he said, “it was a no-brainer,” and he took the discharge.
Paul and Joanne were married June 21, 1968. To this union they were blessed with four children Mike and Tina of Louisville, Kentucky; Becky and Scott Seinen and Miriam and Kevin Franken, both of Dorr, Michigan; Steve and Kimberly Marvin of Hopkins, Michigan; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Paul was very proud of all his children.
He worked in printing at Sparta Graphics, O & O Communications, and Formoste Press. In fall of 1971, he graduated from Northwest Iowa Trades College with a drafting degree. He was promised two different jobs, so they moved back to Michigan. Neither job hired him, but he got a position at Monarch Hydraulics as a machinist. Due to his attention to detail, he was soon the lead person in machining. In spring of 1994, he was sent to Germany by Monarch to check on a new machine. After being there and working on that machine, he thought it wise to purchase it. Joanne was allowed to join him after this for a two-week vacation in Europe. In 1997, Monarch expanded to another campus in Newaygo, Michigan. Paul was in charge of setting up all the machines in the plant and the first employee transferred. Instead of commuting from Dorr to Newaygo daily, they built a home in Ensley Township.
He retired from Monarch due to kidney failure. In June of 2012, Paul received a kidney from his daughter Becky. In summer of 2013, Paul and Joanne sold their home “up North” and moved back down by the family in the Wayland/Dorr area.
Paul was preceded in death by parents and sisters Helen DeVries and Ruth Stevenson; his in-laws Arnold and Henrietta Bosma; brother-in-law Tony Bosma; and granddaughter, September Ann.
Visitation will be held from 4-6 p.m. on Monday, March 22, 2021 at Wayland Christian Reformed Church, 303 E. Elm St., Wayland, MI 49348. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 23, 2021 at Wayland CRC, with visitation from 10:00-10:45 a.m. prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers and in memory of Paul, contributions may be made to Bible League International. To give by credit card, please call 866-825-4636 or visit their website at www.bibleleague.org.
The family welcomes memories and messages in their guest book online at www.kubiakcookwayland.com.
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