Paul Hutter passed away on May 19, 2024, after living with lung cancer for over five years. Paul was a cherished husband, father, and friend. He had a fun-loving nature with a great sense of humor and was a natural, witty storyteller. He had an energetic and adventurous spirit.
Paul was born December 18, 1954, in Astoria, New York. Though an only child, he found extended family among neighbors and friends. He encouraged his childhood neighbors to relocate to North Carolina and they all remained close with Paul throughout his life.
Paul met his wife, Susan, in first grade. Sue moved around the country but returned to Long Island, where the two became high school sweethearts. Paul loved to tell the story of meeting Sue, the girl from Kansas with a funny accent, at a high school dance on Halloween. They were married in 1979. Throughout their 45-year marriage, Paul and Sue made a great team. They valued their time with family and friends above all. Traveling to destinations near and far, biking and exercising, and renovating their historic home in Raleigh were other shared highlights.
As an extraordinary girl dad, Paul supported his three daughters throughout their lives whether it was from the sideline of the soccer field, offering input on career choices, or providing guidance on purchasing a car. He shared his love for activity and the outdoors with his girls, accompanying them on trail runs around Falls Lake and leading them on hiking and biking excursions. Through Paul and Sue’s love for travel, his girls were fortunate to experience family adventures from the Hawaiian Islands to the ruins of Petra in Jordan. A self-proclaimed “sentimental guy” who loved The Father of the Bride, Paul gave three renowned speeches at his daughters’ weddings. He enthusiastically welcomed his sons-in-law into the family; he thought highly of them and was appreciative of the good hearts and skills they shared.
Paul’s greatest joy in life was his family and he readily added Granddad to his list of titles. He always greeted his grandchildren with a warm smile and silly antics to make them laugh. They quickly became his biggest admirers. He was engaging and entertaining in his interactions with his four granddaughters, digging kid-sized holes in the sand and jumping waves on family beach trips, building forts with couch cushions, and watching pivotal movie clips on repeat.
Paul received his bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University and his master’s degree from Temple University. Paul and Sue moved to Saudi Arabia shortly after their marriage, where Paul worked for Aramco. There, he also had the opportunity to work alongside his closest college friend. Upon returning to the United States, Paul continued his career in environmental health and safety at Ciba Geigy, Organon Teknika, and BioMerieux. In 2009, he returned to Saudi Arabia where he worked at King Abdullah’s University of Science and Technology. Upon arriving home to North Carolina in 2013, he worked for the NC Department of Agriculture until his retirement in 2020. If asked about his greatest professional accomplishment, Paul would likely point to the dear friends he made throughout his education and career, some of whom became his extended family, followed by the world travel he experienced.
Throughout his life, Paul demonstrated the power of a positive attitude combined with determination. When he set his mind to something, he achieved it. He enjoyed being active and fitness was both a lifelong priority and a pleasure for him. Paul was the quarterback of his high school football team, an eleven-time marathon runner, a YMCA member, and later, a committed Peloton member throughout his cancer journey.
In 2019, Paul was diagnosed with rare non-small cell lung cancer caused by an EGFR exon 20 mutation, a biomarker most common in people like Paul who were not smokers. As his oncologist stated, “Anyone with lungs can get lung cancer.” After undergoing standard treatments, Paul enrolled in two clinical trials at Virginia Cancer Specialists/NEXT Oncology in Fairfax, Virginia. As part of these trials, Paul carried both the hope that he would benefit from these investigational treatments and confidence that these trials would benefit more individuals impacted by lung cancer in the future. Despite identifying as an introvert, Paul readily spoke about his experiences as a “cancer thriver” at conferences, pharmaceutical conventions, and research symposiums. The Hutter family extends their gratitude for the exceptional care Paul received at UNC Lineberger Cancer Center, NEXT Oncology, the Duke Cancer Institute, and UNC Health Rex.
Paul was preceded in death by his parents, Arline and Paul Hutter; his parents-in-law, Elizabeth and Kenneth Beaver; and his brother-in-law Kenneth Beaver.
He leaves behind his wife, Susan; children Gretchen (Michael) Lopez, Kimberly (Nicolas) Sepe, and Erin (Kevin) Sheen; as well as his four granddaughters (Elise, Sydney, Kinsley, and Hadley), sister-in-law Sabet Stroman, and nieces (Sloane Hastings, McKenzie, and Ali Beaver).
In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial contributions to the International Cancer Advocacy Network (ICAN) (https://askican.org/namedprograms/pshutter.html) or the UNC Lineberger Cancer Center (https://unchealthfoundation.org/initiatives/cancer/ways-to-give/).
A service of remembrance will be held on Friday, June 7, 2024, at 1:00 PM at Vintage Church, 118 S. Person Street, Raleigh, NC, followed by a reception at the Hutter residence.
Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary's St., Raleigh, NC.
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