Paul Harlow Abshier
December 10, 1924 – February 10, 2012
Paul Harlow Abshier was born in the Dalles, OR, December 10, 1924, the youngest of three children, to Joel and Frances Abshier. He died on February 10, 2012, in Bremerton, WA, at the age of 87.
Paul was raised in Centerville and Goldendale, WA, 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 paratroop training, he was stationed at Lowery Army Air Corps Field in Denver, CO, 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, OR where he met and married Florence S. Hanson. They lived in Corvallis until 1995 when they moved to Rathdrum, ID, and after several moves between Corvallis and Idaho, they finally settled in Hayden, ID in 2003. After Florence’s death in 2008, Paul married Anna Pengra of Bainbridge Island in May of 2009, and they were living in Poulsbo, WA 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 Club, the Corvallis Town Club and Junior Town Club and was a member of the Philomath First Baptist Church in Philomath, OR.
He was preceded in death by his first two wives, his mother, father, sister, Betty Pierson, his 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, CO 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, CO; 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 be held at Bainbridge First Baptist Church at 8810 Madison Avenue, Bainbridge Island, WA at 2pm on Saturday, April 28, 2012. The family gives heartfelt thanks for all the compassionate and loving care Paul received in the ICU at Harrison Hospital, Bremerton, WA. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Swedish Medical Center Foundation, 747 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122. Please specify Oncology (cancer) and that the gift is being made in Paul’s memory. On-line donations can be made at https://community.swedish.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=388 (at the “Designation” field, enter other and then designate Oncology).
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