Paul was born in 1934 to an itinerant preacher and his wife in the Shenandoah valley of Virginia. He had two brothers - James and John, and two sisters - Mary and Martha. When he was born, his mother said , “This one will be my preacher… “we’ll call him Paul!” Although his growing up years were in Pennsylvania, when he was a teenager, his family moved back to Virginia, where he attended Bridgewater College. His major was music education. He quickly gained a reputation there for the ability to play a song by ear in any key someone requested. During this time, his older sister Mary got married, and at the wedding she introduced him to her college roommate, a girl named Nancy Lindgren. Later, when Uncle Sam grabbed him after college, and he spent two years in Germany in the army, he remembered that girl, and started up a correspondence with her that was destined to last a lifetime.
Paul and Nancy were married shortly after his return to the states, and he moved to Ohio, her home state. He spent a few years teaching music in public schools there, and then went on to get his Master’s degree in Education. Soon after that, he accepted a principal’s position. He was always interested in studying God’s Word and has always been a Sunday school teacher. By this time he and Nancy had welcomed three daughters into the family. Since he had summers off from the public schools, he would sometimes get invited to fill a pulpit in nearby churches when pastors were on vacation. Slowly he and Nancy both noticed that this seemed to be more than just a side interest for him, and they began making it a fervent prayer to find God’s will. He began researching some seminaries, and that was the clincher!
God worked things out in many ways too marvelous to mention, and they made the decision to move the family to Illinois for him to attend Trinity Evangelical Divinity school full-time. While there, their lives changed forever. Nancy accepted a position as a teacher at a local business college to help put him through. His Master of Divinity degree required 3 years as a full-time student, and it was also at that time through God’s miraculous provision that they discovered that because of his army service, Paul had exactly that many years left to use his government -paid GI bill tuition! So God provided during that time in ways too diverse and numerous to mention!
After graduation from Trinity, Paul was called back to their home church in Ohio to be the pastor. Interestingly enough, this was the same church he had served as music minister just a few years before. Besides senior pastor, here Paul also continued his ministry to children as a middle-school camp director at Camp Koinonia. One recent alumni of Paul’s camp said, “Camp with Paul was the greatest adventure of all time!” The hallmarks of Paul’s camps were great Bible teaching, fun-loving, competitive sports, and the ability to make anything into a game.
After serving in Ohio for 11 years as pastor, he was called to a church in Rhode Island. From there he planted a church where he served for 15 years. Since it was a new work, he had the privilege of discipling many young families, some of which were new in the faith. Unlike the Midwest where they had served before, New England was very Catholic and without many large evangelical churches. They found it to be an area needy for the Gospel.
Paul and Nancy ended their journey over the U.S. when God called their youngest daughter Kerri home, leaving behind two babies (ages 3-1/2 and 1-1/2). They lived here in Oregon. Their son-in-law then asked if they would be willing to help him with their care as he tried to pick up the pieces. Again, they felt that this was part of God’s plan, so they moved across the country and were again a family of 5 for three years, until their son-in-law remarried.
About 15 years ago, Paul and Nancy began attending Damascus Community Church. With his love for teaching the Bible, it wasn’t long before he began teaching in the CIA class, which he dearly loved.
Paul loved life, and had an enthusiasm for so many things that was contagious to all around him. He loved sports, whether playing himself or rooting for his beloved Patriots, Red Sox’s, Celtics, or Trailblazers. He dearly loved music of all types - from classical music to old hymns to modern worship music or whatever the grandkids were listening to. When he was in pain, music was the thing that he asked for the most.
Paul so loved his grandkids and would email them monthly with a verse and how he could pray for each of them. The grandkids were his all stars.
Paul is survived by his wife Nancy, his daughters Carmen and Kelly and his 10 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.
Finally, Paul’s love for Jesus had no bounds. When he arose in the morning he would ask Jesus to bring him into contact with someone who needed to hear the gospel. He even witnessed to a gentleman who sat next to him on the plane ride from Rhode Island to Portland upon the death of his daughter Kerri.
Our loss is Heaven's gain. We love you Poppop.
A celebration of life for Paul will be held Saturday, May 11, 2024 at 1:00 PM at Damascus Community Church, 14251 SE Rust Way, Damascus, Oregon 97089.
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