Paul Backus Stuart, beloved husband, father, grandfather, friend, and child of God, gently left this world March 11, 2022, surrounded by his family, and entered the one for which he had prepared all his life.
Paul was known for his strong, but quiet, kind, humble leadership style guided by faith throughout his life. Paul was born May 9, 1933, and was raised in Paris. He had many talents and worked from the time he was six years old until he was well into his 80s. He was a storyteller, who had a natural sense of humor and loved recounting stories of growing up in Paris and the many odd jobs he had while making his way through school, peppering his stories with colloquialisms that made his children and grandchildren giggle. He was a star athlete at Paris High School, which led to a football scholarship to Texas Tech University, where he laughingly told friends that he “crowded four years into six” while searching for a career path. He eventually found his calling in education. As a teacher, a mentor, a coach, and eventually a high school principal, he dedicated his efforts to encouraging and helping students realize their potential, especially children from disadvantaged situations.
He began his educational career in Lubbock, but found his niche at Cal Farley’s Boys’ Ranch, in the Texas Panhandle. There he and first wife, Pat, raised their three daughters. Paul was a loving and devoted father. The family remained at Boys Ranch for over 20 years, helping boys with troubled backgrounds become successful in life. Those efforts were a source of pride to Paul, and he loved staying in touch with the boys and celebrating what they accomplished in their lives.
Despite a challenging work load at Boys’ Ranch, he managed to get his Master’s degree at West Texas State University. He and his family were faithful members of church in Amarillo, where he taught Sunday School and sang in the Methodist church choir. His Christian life was paramount and he was an active member/leader in every location in which he lived, always as a Methodist, true to generations of family members’ participation. Throughout his life he served in leadership roles within the church.
Eventually, Paul moved back to Paris, and to his field of education at Paris High School. There, he was a well-loved member of the faculty, as a teacher and administrator, until he retired. He was a member of Kiwanis and became a sponsor of the school’s Key Club, once again influencing boys in creating lives as responsible and giving community members.
After his retirement from Paris High School, he soon learned that he missed active employment, and he began a new career as a realtor. It was a good “fit” for Paul due to his genuine and gentle way of guiding people to meet their housing needs. He remained in that career for 20 years.
Shortly after his return to Paris, Paul met and married a fellow Methodist, Marsha, and treated her children as his own. They served in many servant roles within the church in which they were introduced, married in 1988 and lived together, always thrilled to add their family numbers with grandchildren, marriages and extended family. Paul and Marsha expressed their love for each other, and God’s influence on all their life’s decisions until his death.
Paul was preceded in death by his parents, John Backus Stuart and Winnie Harriet Wiggs. He is survived by his wife, Marsha Stuart, three daughters, Jana Ellerman, Joni Stuart and Shari Doidge, his stepchildren Eric Kraft and Melanie Butts, and grandchildren Justin, Hugh, Winnie, Taylor and Abigail Ellerman, Christopher Doidge, Blayn and Tatum Kraft, and Ashley, Samuel and Ainsley Butts.
Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at First Christian Church Paris with visitation one hour prior. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Paul’s memory to Paris Education Foundation at P.O. Box 356 Paris, Texas 75461 for the purpose of scholarships, or to Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch at P.O. Box 1890, Amarillo, Texas 79105-9985 for the purpose of the educational and athletic programs.
