Paul was born on March 15, 1952, to Telfer and Eileen Norman, both of Canadian birth. He was the youngest of five children and his family always joked that he was born on Buzzard Day,(the day the buzzards return to Hinkley, Ohio each year) and that the buzzards dropped him off early in Denver.
Growing up he was active in scouting, drama and outdoor sports including skiing, hiking, and backpacking. Participating in Outward Bound outdoor adventure School was a turning point in his life and helped him to solidify his future.
After graduating from Wheat Ridge High School, he attended University of Colorado in Boulder for 2 years before finding his true major in forest recreation. In 1972 he transferred to Oregon State University where he met his future bride, Ann-Marie Tregaskis, during the first week of school. He returned to Colorado to finish his degree at Colorado State University in 1975 and immediately set out on his first job with Utah State forestry. Within a year Paul moved to Portland to marry Ann in Washington Park Rose Gardens on July 24, 1976.
In 1978 the couple moved to Fresno, California to begin Paul's new job with the U.S. Forest Service at Shaver Lake. They had their first two daughters in Fresno and made many wonderful friends. After 6 years at Central Valley Heat they happily relocated to Sandy, Oregon where their last two children were born.
Paul was a well-respected and hard-working team member and performed master’s level work for the Columbia River gorge scenic area, as well as administering recreational residences program on the Mount Hood Forest. He finished his 34-year tenure with the US Forest Service as liaison to Timberline Lodge and retired in 2013.
More than just his job, Paul was happiest at home with his family and was a devoted husband and dad who loved to hike, cross-country ski, bike, camp, swim and read to his kids.
Paul was always available to help anyone who needed him in any way he could. He was active in their local church, especially loving to teach Sunday school and baptism classes for 40 years and going on several missions’ trips to Mexico. He volunteered in several community projects and helped organize 3 years of Compassion Sandy - a medical /dental outreach clinic.
He wasn't known as a big conversationalist but when he did talk people wanted to hear what he had to say, especially when he used his Smokey Bear deep voice.
Though he dealt with Alzheimer's disease for several years he always maintained his deep faith in God and never lost his kind, gentle personality, or his quiet sense of humor.
Paul passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family at home in Boring, Oregon on December 6th, 2022.
He will be loved and remembered by his wife, Ann and children Elise Peter, Julie Fehlman, Luke Norman and Rebecca Shadburne, their spouses and grandchildren Anton and Avery Peter, Tobias, Elliot and Naia Fehlman and Aviemore and Elinore Shadburne as well as his surviving siblings Telfer (Woody) Norman and Judith Mann.