Paul will always be remembered.
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I met Paul and his husband while walking their sweet dog in front of our home and Rohnert Park. I am so blessed to have met Paul and to have become friends with him.
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I met wonderful Paul and his wonderful husband Michael walking their sweet doggie in front of our home in Rohnert Park. They became great friends. I am blessed to have met Paul.
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I can’t believe it’s been four years already. Seems like yesterday… seems like forever ago. I miss Paul so often. He was the last of my Austin circle. No one else shares those same memories anymore. Love. Love. Love to you Michael.
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I always called Paul on his birthday, so now I call his husband Michael instead.
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You are ever-loved, Paul. And I hope you were there to greet Dana...
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It's good to remember you today, Paul. Beloved cousin!
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Paul Crabtree, sweet man, I miss you in this world, blessings, love and light to you, most precious being.
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So sad to learn about Paul's passing, he was a best friend of mine for over 40 years and I miss him dearly.
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Thinking of you on your Birthday. You are missed!
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Paul stayed at our house for a few days over Christmas vacation. Paul was a kid on previous visits to Ohio. This time he was a high school student from the exotic and far-away land of warm winters, sweet pink grapefruit and February gardens full of okra: southeast Texas. The conversations became more philosophical and heady. And the difference between our speaking styles were about to be discussed at length, well into the evening in the upstairs patched carpet hallway of our creaky, drafty old house.
Paul introduced us to the folly of our northern accent, and he did it in the nicest nice-guy way possible. We might have been talking about the relevance of Greek mythology to current political policy. This would have been a natural segue into the problem of our exaggerated northern accent, which I remember we denied we had.
Paul was troubled by our pronunciation. He demonstrated - to my delight - how we put extended "eee" sounds to words like 'pie', 'I' and 'try'. Paul explained that the long vowel pronunciation of 'i' and 'y' were properly spoken as quick long 'i' sounds, like 'ah' not the exaggerated northern version we spoke. "I-ee try-ee to eat pi-ee" is overdoing it. "Ah trah to eat pah" is more efficient. He was right, and he won the argument, teaching his middle and elementary school age cousins a valuable life-lesson. I adored him ever since that Christmas.
I've tried to mend my ways over the years and have successfully been able to incorporate the correct pronunciation of long 'i' and 'y' with about 2% accuracy. Paul was always easy to talk with and disagree with because disagreements were fun with him. They couldn't really be called disagreements because they were so pleasant. And this might have been the only one we ever had. I think so.
Having Paul as a cousin was a real blessing. It's good to remember this Christmas vacation. There are many warm memories of Paul and especially of all my Crabtree cousins.
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My husband Ric and I moved into the condo next door to Paul and Michael. We were there for one year. We became friends with them both and enjoyed every moment of our time with them. I felt deeply comfortable around both of them right away. I am blessed to have known Paul for the short period of time that I did. I walked the road of life with him, albeit a short one. I am grateful. Bless his Dear husband Michael as he navigates the grief road.
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Paul was such a kind, compassionate, and tender person. We were together in Austin for too brief a time, but he was always there for me through the good times and the bad. A true friend.
My deepest condolences to all who knew and loved Paul. He will be missed and fondly remembered always.
Peace and love. ❤️
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I was so sorry to learn the news of Paul’s passing. I met Paul in 1972 when we both lived in two Austin co-ops down the street from one another. From that point on, he was always a special friend. Paul was one of the sweetest, kindest people that I have ever known. I have many memories of him over the years, and they all make me happy. I will always remember Paul with a smile on his face and with his own special laugh. I am so thankful that Michael came into his life and brought him so much joy. I draw comfort in recalling how we stayed in touch over the years - even if only through phone calls more recently. I will miss him dearly. My thoughts and prayers go out to Michael, Paul’s family, and all who loved him. ❤️
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1972, Big Bend National Park, TX, USA
Paul in Chisos Basin - Spring Break with Tommy Nolet
— with
Paul
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