Paul E. Waldschmidt's Obituary
Paul Evans Waldschmidt died peacefully Monday, December 21, 2015, surrounded by family. A memorial service is set for 11:00 a.m. Tuesday at Sand Springs United Methodist Church. Paul was born August 20, 1946, to Lou Jean Evans and Hugo Ernst Waldschmidt in Ada, Oklahoma. After the untimely death of his father and his mother’s remarriage to James Curnutt, Paul and his brother, David, relocated to Washington, where Paul attended and graduated in 1964 from William Winlock Miller High School in Olympia, Washington. Paul attended college at The University of Washington before enlisting in the Army to serve during the Vietnam War. After his service ended, Paul resumed his college education until he was recruited to work for United Press International (U.P.I.). Paul’s employment with U.P.I. eventually lead him to Tulsa, where he worked as Bureau Chief. That was where he met Geraldine (Gerri) Conner. They married in March of 1981 and were happily married for 34 years. Paul’s legacy was his love of family and community. He had two wonderful children, Lauren and David, and was blessed to have experienced being a grandfather to his precious little grandson, Kellen. Paul went to work for Retherford Publications in 1983 and continued working for the company after it was sold to Community Publishers Inc. and again later to B.H. Media Group (subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.). At his retirement, Paul had 32 years of service. Paul loved being a part of the Sand Springs community. He was a member of the Sand Springs United Methodist Church for many years and treasured his church family. As a Scout Dad, he was involved with Scout Troop 507, and was able to take many camping and high adventure trips with his son David and other Troop members over the years. Not only was Paul committed to doing the best job possible in covering the events of the community for the paper (whether it was a new store opening, Sand Springs sponsored events, City Council or School Board meetings, or a human interest story), he also felt the need to give back to the community and was able to do so as a member of the Rotary Club and The Salvation Army Advisory Council. Even after holding several different jobs in the newspaper industry, when he got the opportunity to transfer to the Sand Springs Leader office, Paul said “he was going back to his roots as a journalist”. He always felt very blessed to live in Sand Springs and his legacy will live on in the memories of his loved ones, the people’s lives he touched in the community, and in the stories he wrote. Paul is survived by his wife, Gerri (Conner) Waldschmidt, son, David Grant Waldschmidt, daughter Lauren Dyan Mattox (husband Josh), grandson, Kellen David Mattox, brother, David Alan Waldschmidt (wife Ann, son Patrick), step-mother, Carol Curnutt, brother-in-law, Don Conner, sister-in-law, Tracy Conner, as well as many other beloved relatives and life-long friends. Family visitation will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Floral Haven in Broken Arrow on Monday.
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