Bill Paule

Posted on: Jun 10, 2019 at 4:33 AM

Posted on: Jun 10, 2018 at 4:33 AM

Alas,  my dear brother Don Paule passed away from cancer at age 58 on May 19, 2007 in York, Pa. where he had resided for many years.

Don was a graduate of Penn State University in State College, Pa. and as he was extremely active in politics of the era he was courted by both National Parties at the time of his graduation. He put aside Law School for a while in order to participate in our political system, which he so dearly loved. He advanced his career very quickly and in a short periord of time was the "right hand man" for the Governor of Pa. for 8 years.  After a change in administrations he entered the private sector in the medical/health industry in York, Pa. 

Bored with that activity  he again entered the private sector successfully and remained in York until the time of his passing. Don leaves behind his widow, Pamela Paule of York, Pa and his brothers, Bill, Larry and Kenny along with their children, Rory, Alannah, Carver and Caroline.  

Don was extremely passionate of a few things, his family of course, Penn State football, his dear and loyal friends, his golf game and the sports car he spent an insane amount of time and money on and is of legend, but I don't have enough space to tackle that at the moment but it is a dramatic story I can share at another time.

I hadn't kept up with Roy and didn't see him after graduation, but did have a chance encounter with him several years thereafter,  which affects me a little bit once in a while to this day.  I ran into Roy, who was in the Navy, at the Military Terminal at Dover Air Force Base where I was stationed in either late 1968 or early 1969.  Roy had been injured on duty and was sent back to the US to complete his long term recovery.

Roy told me was stationed on an aircraft carrier in the South China Sea, and was working on fighter aircraft  that were performing bomb runs during the Vietnam War. Seems upon landing an extremely large bomb disengaged and struck him causing his injuries. When I ran into him he was returning to duty and catching a military flight overseas to rejoin his ship. We had a few good moments and shared a few laughs.

A few months later I was reassigned myself and shortly thereafter came across a bulletin mentioning a Navy aircraft had crashed into the sea while returning to it's home Carrier, with all on board lost. Of course I saw the name Roy Fowler, it was startling having just seen him just a few months prior. But I was tickled to have seen and spoken with him. Perhaps I was the last person from Th. Jefferson H.S.  or N. Va. to speak with him. I'm glad I had the opportunity............it was only for a brief period but in hindsight was touching none the less.........