Paul, 84, died June 1, 2017. He attended Earlham College before transferring to Washington State University where he graduated in 1955. Paul jumped at North Cascades during the 1952 and'53 seasons.

He entered the Air Force in 1955 and served for 27 years before retiring in 1982 as a Lt. Colonel. Paul flew F-100s in Vietnam and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

After retiring he earned two master's degrees and worked as a financial planner for seven years before moving back to his family home in Twisp. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2005 and he and his wife moved to Huntsville, Alabama, to be near family.