HARRY CHARLES PAUL

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HARRY CHARLES PAUL It is with our deepest sadness that we announce the death of our dear husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Harry C. Paul, at the age of 82, passed away on May 26, 2001. He will be greatly missed by his wife Yvonne; his four children, Virginia (Gary) Cordrey, Theo (Cecilia), Tim (Cindy), Marilyn (Darrell) Zayshley; grandchildren, Christie (Matt Lumsden), Damien (Jodie), Sandy, Timothy, Brett and Erik; and great-grand-children, Bruce and Simon. Also survived by his sister Deliah Scarett; and his brothers, Ivor and Doug Middlebrooks and families. Born in 1918 in Vancouver, BC, Harry was raised on a homestead in Sprucehome, SK. Leaving home at 16, he worked amongst the native people in Little Hills, Northern Saskatchewan where as a fur trader and fisherman he became fluent in Cree. Traveling by canoe and dog team to various native camps, Harry developed a life-lasting understanding of native ways and an appreciation of native culture and values. In 1940, he moved to Winnipeg to become a commercial pilot with Johannesons Flying School. From 1941-1945, he was a Captain, flying Anson Aircraft with the British Commonwealth Air Training Program No. 5 Observer School. During this time he met and married Yvonne Gaspard, his wife of 58 years. After the war, his love of flying took him back to Saskatchewan where he served as a bush pilot and flew for the provincial government. Harrys adventuresome spirit now led him into the entrepreneurial world of business. In 1952, he founded H.C. Paul Ltd., a distributor of recreational products. He was instrumental in bringing Honda motorcycles, Sekine bicycles and Mercury Outboard to Western Canada. He was also a pioneer in the snowmobile industry, developing the early snowmobile that eventually became Polaris. Calling upon his earlier experiences as a fur-trader and aviator, Harry used his Beech 18 Aircraft to expand his business throughout the North into the Arctic. Even in his retirement, Harrys vision and expertise led him to found the High Rock Rainbow Trout Farm, and to become a board member of the Kinew Housing Corporation and the Manitoba Metis Economic Council, and a consultant to the Honda Motorcycle Company. Amongst his achievements are: 1) Induction as a fellow of the Walter Murray Society, University of Saskatchewan, for his support and assistance in the education of Aboriginal people. 2) Induction into the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame. 3) His witnessing of the proclamation by Grand Chief George Bushie to exonerate Chief Big Bear. 4) An elder of the Little Hills Spiritual Journey. Harry was an entrepreneur, a visionary and an inventor but above all, he was a deeply religious family man who was also a champion of the oppressed. Harry accomplished much in this life but in the end; he wanted to be remembered simply as a "fisherman." Although we will all miss him, we know that Harry is somewhere sitting around a warm campfire with his hunting buddies, Gus Wallin and Tim Furgale and all his good friends. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the "University of Saskatchewan in Support of Louis Riel Scholarship Fund", Alumnae and Development, Room 223 Kirk Hall, University of Saskatchewan, 117 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0W0. Prayers will be said on Wednesday, May 30 at 7:30 p.m. in the Leatherdale Gardiner Funeral Chapel at 1858 Portage Ave. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, May 31, at 1:30 p.m. at St. Ignatius Of Loyola Church, 255 Stafford St., with Rev. Fr. Joseph C. Johnson s.j. Entombment will follow in Mary Queen of Heaven Mausoleum, 3990 Portage Ave. Pallbearers will be Damien Cordrey, Sandy Paul, Tim Paul, Curt Olson, Al Nelson and Jim Furgale. Honorary pallbearers will be Allan Quandt, Viv Daly, Dave Johnson and The People of Little Hills. LEATHERDALE GARDINER 1501 Waverley Street, 949-4860

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 29, 2001