Dave Church
Well-known member
It is with a very heavy heart that I write this. My brother-in-law passed on Thanksgiving Day after a tough battle with cancer for over a year and a half. He was my best man at my wedding, my oldest son's godfather, and even shared my oldest son's birthday. He was 56 and leaves behind a beautiful wife and two teenage daughters. To say he was one of the good ones would be an understatement. Paul was a kind man, father, husband and a great brother-in-law. I cherish the times we spent fishing and hunting. Although he wasn't a hunter, it would be hard to find a person who was more delighted to be outdoors and watching the sun come up, the ducks rise, or the dog retrieve. He never carried a gun into the field but loved watching the sport as it unfolded on crisp mornings in the marsh or field. He loved being a part of the preparations:; mending the decoy lines, loading the boat, scouting or just talking about the hunt to come. You didn't know him, but I wanted you to know a little about him. He was extremely successful in his business life and generous to a fault with his good fortunes. He was the kind of person who always made you feel like your life was more interesting than his. He laughed easily and always complimented the food set before him, no matter how meager, no matter the flavor. He was a sounding board for anyone and was always up fort anything. He was one of the lucky ones who saw death coming. He prepared well, ensuring his wife and daughters would be financially taken care of. He had the time (and used it) to say his goodbyes, to pass on family recipes, to make a difference in people's lives before leaving this world. He was at peace with his family, his world, his God, and himself when he left. He told me he had no regrets, that he was happy with his life and the people that moved thru it. He reminded me that most of us won't have the time that he had to say what needed to be said or to do what needed to be done. It is imperative that we make our time here of quality and not quantity, to share in the lives of those that mean so much to us and to put out of our lives those that will improve it little. He will be deeply missed.
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