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Paul Harlow Abshier was born Dec. 10, 1924, in The Dalles [OR], to Joel and Frances Abshier, the youngest of three children. He died on Feb. 10, 2012, in Bremerton, Wash., at the age of 87.
Paul was raised in Centerville and Goldendale, Wash., graduating from Goldendale High School in 1943.
After school he entered the U.S. Army Air Corps and transferred into the Airborne Division, assigned to the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 82nd Airborne Division in Germany. He did not see any combat action.
Prior to transfer into paratrooper training, he was stationed at Lowery
[Lowry] Army Air Corps Field in Denver, Colo., where he met and married Marjorie (Marge) F. Shufflebarger. They settled in the Denver area after the war, and Paul entered the electrical trade, working for several wholesale houses and electrical contractors, including two years working in Vietnam. Paul and Marge had two daughters and were divorced in 1979.
In 1981, Paul moved to Corvallis, where he met and married Florence S. Hanson. They lived in Corvallis until 1995, when they moved to Rathdrum, Idaho, and after several moves between Corvallis and Idaho, they finally settled in Hayden, Idaho, in 2003.
After Florence’s death in 2008, Paul married Anna Pengra of Bainbridge Island, Wash., in May of 2009, and they were living in Poulsbo, Wash., at the time of his death.
Paul was an avid reader and stamp collector for many years, and corresponded with numerous collectors worldwide. He also enjoyed fishing, hunting, sports (coaching girls’ softball teams in the leagues his daughters participated in) and games of all kinds, especially card games and the daily challenge of a great crossword puzzle. Paul enjoyed watching sports broadcasts as well as animal and game shows on TV.
Paul had been active in the Elks Loge, the Corvallis Town Club and the Junior Town Club, and was a member of First Baptist Church in Philomath.
He was preceded in death by his first two wives; his mother; father; sister, Betty Pierson; brother, Joel Francis Abshier; and his eldest daughter, Leslie Bell.
Paul is survived by his wife, Anna; his daughter and son-in-law, Judith and Gerard Bulanowski of Parker, Colo.; and Anna’s children, daughter Julie and son-in-law Kevin Ulrich, daughter Nancy and son-in-law Dale Hylton, and son Jim Pengra and daughter-in-law Diane.
Also surviving are his grandsons, Timothy Peters of Montana and Josh Abshier of Denver; four great-grandchildren; and Anna’s grandchildren, Stacie, Stefanie and Annie, and two great-grandchildren, Jakob John and Serafina Marie.
His remains were cremated. A memorial service will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, at Bainbridge First Baptist Church at 8810 Madison Ave., Bainbridge Island.
The family gives heartfelt thanks for all the compassionate and loving
care Paul received in the intensive care unit at Harrison Hospital,
Bremerton. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to
the Swedish Medical Center Foundation, 747 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122.
Please specify Oncology (cancer), and that the gift is being made in
Paul’s memory.
[published in the Corvallis Gazette Times, 23 April 2012] |
