Paul Raja Joseph

Paul Joseph was born on July 24, 1929, in Rangoon, Burma, to Gnamuthu and Lily Joseph. The sixth of seven children, Paul was raised in a household that valued education, hard work, and faith. His father, a lawyer, and his mother, a dedicated homemaker, instilled in him a strong work ethic that would guide his entire life. He grew up alongside his siblings: Suceela, Suguna, Dolly, Jason, Stella, and Pushpamani.

Paul received his early education at St. Anthony’s in Rangoon, where he completed elementary through 12th grade. He went on to earn a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Rangoon and later pursued a Master’s in Business at Pacific Lutheran University in Washington State.

Paul proudly served in the Burmese Army from 1954 to 1967, achieving the rank of Captain. During his service, he held several key leadership roles:

• Director of Manufacturing for military arms and ammunition

• Head of the Military Press, responsible for producing civilian-facing publications

• Manager of the military base theater

It was during his time in the military that Paul met the love of his life, June Suriya. Paul would accompany a friend and fellow soldier to visit with Junes Dad Arthur, during those visits Paul was drawn to June and pursued a relationship with persistence and charm—occasionally referring to her as a “stubborn woman” with a smile. After a few years of dating and surviving a long-distance stretch while Paul was sent abroad for training, they married joyfully on April 29, 1958, and settled in military housing.

During the military coup, Paul was appointed to oversee several ministries and continued to serve in leadership capacities. Life in Burma was both vibrant and uncertain. Paul and June were blessed with four children: Jean (1959), Arthur (1960), Paul (1963), and June, affectionately called “Mucky” (1964). The family experienced both joy and sorrow, including the tragic loss of their beloved daughter Jean in an automobile accident in 1983.

As communism took hold in Burma, the Josephs faced increasing threats to their freedom and future. Education and employment were dictated by the state, and Paul’s Indian heritage—and refusal to change his name to a Burmese one—posed a risk to his children’s opportunities. In 1967, Paul and June made the courageous decision to seek a better future for their family. With the help of foreign embassies, they secured visas and immigrated to the United States, choosing America over Australia because of its Christian foundations.

They settled in Seattle, where Paul found work with Boeing as an engineer and later held roles as a purchasing agent at Lockheed and Olympic Foundry. He also started a landscaping business and worked as a real estate agent, embodying the entrepreneurial spirit of the American dream.

Paul and June were pillars in their community and extended their care to others, helping June’s entire family and many others immigrate to the U.S. They worshipped at Bible Presbyterian Church in Kent and later became active members of Eastgate Baptist Church and Bible Baptist Church of Cottage Lake (ABC), where they officially became members in 1990.

Faith was central to Paul’s life. Raised in the Church of England, Paul came to a personal understanding and belief in Jesus Christ and instilled that same faith in his children. All of them were baptized as a family during their time at Eastgate Baptist.

Paul is survived by his three children—Art, Paul (Janet), and June (Mike)—and found great joy in his four grandchildren: Dylan, Bryna, Derek, and Shay. He was also blessed with two great-grandchildren, Noa and Bodi. Paul truly lived the American dream and walked faithfully with Christ throughout his life. On April 26, 2025, at the age of 95, Paul peacefully went home to be with the Lord.

"To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." – 2 Corinthians 5:8