Paul Oberholtzer

Paul A. Oberholtzer

After a long battle with cancer, Paul passed away peacefully in his sleep. The love of his life for 53 years, Carol, along with his beloved daughter Liz and his big sister Carol, were there to greet him when he awoke.

Paul was born in Washington, D.C. As a child, his family moved to Minnesota, where he grew up in and around the White Bear Lake area. Living near Birch Lake, he spent countless hours down on the pond playing hockey. He loved the outdoors, hanging out with neighborhood friends, and being a typical little brother. After a move to California, his adventurous spirit continued to grow, beginning in earnest during his senior year of high school. Eventually, Paul found his way back to Minnesota, reconnecting with high school friends. One of those friends knew "a nice girl" he just had to meet. Eyes locked, hearts pounded, and voilà-53 years of magic together.

Paul and Carol watched their family grow and grow, and each addition brought them immense joy. They shared countless adventures together. They loved traveling-driving everywhere, of course-because time alone in the car was one of their favorite things. When they weren't on the road, they were often on the lake fishing, and there always seemed to be a suitcase packed and ready for the next trip.

Paul worked for the phone company his entire career, a job that eventually landed them in Roswell, where they made their home for the past 18 years. There, they found a church community they loved and friendships they cherished, while still returning to Minnesota every summer.

Paul was a wonderful father to Ada Dow (John), Jeff (Marie), Amy Rahman (Imran), and Brian (Holly). He is also lovingly remembered by his grandchildren: Amber, Jean, Paige, Danny, Sara, David, Madeline, Johnny, Alexis (Chris), Adam, Noah, Abby Jo, Sam, Jack, Kia, Ashley, Jacob, Jordan, Grace, and James. To his great-grandchildren-Lewis, Margaret, Olivia, Xander, and Isla-he was proudly known as Great Grandpa.

He was a brother to Linda, a brother-in-law to many, an uncle to a boatload, and truly a friend to everyone he met.

Dad was a jack of all trades. As kids, we watched him build things and remodel nearly every room in the house-often after Mom "accidentally" put a hole in the wall just to see what was behind it. He taught us lawn care, how to properly use a zip tie, and which tools in the garage were meant for which job-if he could find them. More importantly, he taught us how to be kind, caring, and loving through his actions.

He was famous for saying, "I'm just going to close my eyes for five minutes," usually before a very long nap-and for his unforgettable bear hugs.