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BORN
1933
DIED
2017
Paul Waldie Obituary
Rev. Paul Franklin Waldie, OMI, born in Long Beach, California on January 6, 1933, died in Lebh Shomea, Sarita, Texas on November 11, 2017 at the age of 84 years. Fr. Waldie professed vows as a member of the Congregation of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate on August 15, 1962, in Godfrey, Illinois and was ordained to the priesthood on December 18, 1965 in Santa Barbara, California, by Bishop Timothy Manning.
Fr. Waldie studied at Oblate College of the Southwest and was assigned as teacher at Alemany High School in San Fernando, California. He later became Principal of Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, California. He served as Provincial of the Western Province for six years in 1978-1984. After a sabbatical, he served as Pastor at St. Ferdinand's Parish. He later served as Formator, then as Novice Master in Godfrey, Illinois. He became Pastor at St. Benedict Parish in Seattle, Washington, before going to the Republic of South Africa at Our Lady of Hope Novitiate in 2002. Fr. Waldie served in South Africa until he moved back to Washington DC in 2007 where he served as Superior of that district. In August 2010, he was assigned to George Sexton House as staff and was there until his 2014 assignment to Lebh Shomea House of Prayer where he assisted many retreatants with spiritual direction and guidance in their faith.
Fr. Waldie will be remembered for the great example of faithful service and dedication to ministry. In 2015, he celebrated his 50th Anniversary of Priestly Ordination.
Fr. Waldie is preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Gladys (Long) Waldie, siblings Shirley Edwards; Michael Waldie; Novelle (John) Miller. In addition to his Oblate family, he is survived by his brother, Larry (Charlotte) Waldie; sister Carole Brown and many nieces and nephews. Fr. Waldie will be remembered with respect and esteem by his Oblate brothers and all the people who were recipients of his pastoral care.
FUNERAL SERVICES
A memorial service will be held at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church at 140 Main Street in Sarita, Texas, 78385 at 9:00 AM on Thursday, November 16, 2017.
He will then be flown to California where a viewing and Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Ferdinand's Parish, 1109 Coronel Street, San Fernando, California, 91340-3510 on Monday, November 20, 2017 at 9:00 AM. Interment will follow at the San Fernando Mission Cemetery at 11160 Stranwood Ave, Mission Hills, California 91345.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Paul Waldie
Petra Lopez
August 28, 2021
I recently learned that Father Paul Waldi passed away. He was a loving and gifted listener. He made our very small chapel wedding very special. When he learned that we had met through our mutual love of opera, he arranged to have a CD of Luciano Pavarotti, singing Ave Maria, playing in the background as we entered the chapel to say our marriage vows. He was a very special man. We missed him very much when five months later, he left for Africa. We will always remember him fondly. His homilies were always warm and uplifting, they were always about Love.
Nancy Wilson
January 12, 2018
In loving memory of Father Paul who brought me into the church at St. Benedicts in 2002. No finer priest ever blessed our world with his wisdom, humility and love. I will miss hearing from you every Christmas, Father Paul. You are home at last.
Stephen
January 12, 2018
In loving memory of a truly wonderful person. We will love you and miss you always.
Stephen, Shropshire, United Kingdom.
Marykaren Barac
January 5, 2018
In honor of one of the most amazing, loving and gifted men I have ever known. His light will be missed. He is walking with the angels and they are delighting in his eloquence and charisma. I am grateful that he touched my life for 20 years.
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Stephen UK
January 4, 2018
In loving memory of a wonderful person. We will love you and miss you always.
Tom Baumgartner
December 20, 2017
I met Father Paul Waldie in the late 1990s when my wife, Karen, and I attended St. Benedict Catholic Church (St. Ben's) in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle on a regular basis. His white hair made him look old, like a grandfather, but he sure acted young. He was one of those rare priests who really spoke to you instead of at you. He would stand at the lectern when he read the Gospels, but when it came to the homily, he'd come down the steps and walk up and down the center aisle, making eye contact as he spoke to parishioners. He jokingly referred to the first 10 row of pews as the red zone, which a young boy from a parish family had nicknamed it, because, if you dared sit in one of these pews, you faced the strong possibility that he'd stop his pacing while delivering his message, look you in the eye perhaps referring to you by name if he knew you and speak right to you as part of his homily. When he was finished speaking, it was almost upsetting, because you wanted him to keep going.
I was a really good Christian back in those days. Father Paul married me and Karen in 1999, and I give him a lot of credit for helping me to shape myself in to a good man and husband. After Karen and I moved from our Seattle apartment to a townhouse in Sammamish about 40 minutes away, we continued going to St. Ben's to see Father Paul on Sundays. There was a parish in Sammamish, but in our mind, St. Ben's was our church, and as long as Father Paul was there, we'd be there too. But as the months went by, the drive felt more and more like an effort we didn't feel like making so often. And then Father Paul left St. Ben's to go to South Africa to train seminarians to become priests. I can't imagine someone better than Father Paul to do that, but it sure was sad to see him go.
We attended one more mass at St. Ben's after he left, on Christmas Eve. It felt like a different place. I remember thinking that night about what a fellow parishioner once told me, that as Christians we should want to come to church to hear the word of God and to receive the Eucharist, not because we really like the priest. But St. Ben's had become where Father Paul spoke the word of God more than it was where God's word was heard. If I remember correctly, this was Christmas of 2000 or 2001.
Since then, while I've continued to have a relationship with God, it has gradually turned in to a very self-focused relationship. It hasn't been on purpose. I haven't been a regular church-goer in about 16 years, and I've increasingly neglected the two-way relationship I need to have with Him as the years have gone by. I didn't start to understand this erosion of the relationship until a few weeks ago, when some life events brought me to praying a lot more. The realization that the erosion hadn't just occurred to me as a Christian, but also as a man and as a husband was humbling, to say the least. As I worked on putting together some daily prayers, partially as a result of talking to a local priest, partially from reading prayers online, and partially from putting some of my own heartfelt thoughts in to them. I was reminded that prayer is not just about speaking to God, but it's about listening to Him too. After all, He did give us two ears and one mouth, so why not use them in proportion to each other? I used to listen to Him a lot when He spoke to me through Father Paul, and that was a good time in in faith life.
So, I've been working on being more like the Christian that I was back when Father Paul was in my life. If you train yourself to listen in prayer rather than speak in prayer, you may experience some serious goodness. I know I have.
I found out today that Father Paul died last month at the age of 84. Finding this out, I longed for just one more of his impassioned and inspiring homilies. I longed for the vigor and vitality that he expressed as he looked everyone in the eye with words of love, wisdom, and encouragement. But finding this out also reinforced my desire to re-become the man and husband that I was back in the years when going to St. Ben's was a weekly thing. I have work to do, but so far, so good.
One last thought. There's a moment in the movie As Good As It Gets where Jack Nicholson says, You make me want to be a better man. If I had the chance to meet with Father Paul face to face today, this is what I would say to him.
God bless you, Father Paul Waldie.
Teresa Willson
November 25, 2017
The world lost a great man and a great priest when God called Fr Paul Waldie home. I am sure you are walking among the angels now, looking over all those you've touched and challenging us to be more, to be present. Rest In Peace.
Julie Petrini
November 22, 2017
Father Waldie will remain in my heart forever! He was a great friend to both Michael and me. I will always remember his kind, soft-spoken manner. I know that Michael considered him one of his very closest friends and confidants. Father Waldie actually joined us in marriage in 1973 and we had 42 years of wonderful marriage before Michael's passing two years ago. I know that they are once again sharing great conversations together. God bless you, Father Waldie.
Jan Hagan
November 22, 2017
Father Waldie as the best principal at Bishop O'Dowd ever. He led by example: was honest, kind, compassionate, thoughtful and patient. He has been missed since his departure from our school. What a wonderful man, and what a wonderful example for young students.
November 21, 2017
We were blessed to have Fr. Waldie as our Principal at Bishop O'Dowd High School. His steady guidance and pastoral work will never be forgotten. May he rest in peace.
Connie Rowe
November 21, 2017
The world is missing one of the good ones.
Steve Sallis
November 20, 2017
Father Paul is fondly remembered at St. Benedict Parish in Seattle. He was an exciting homilist and an exemplary disciple of Jesus Christ. May the angels lead him to Paradise.Father Steve Sallis ( former pastor of St Benedict)Sacred Heart Church (Bellevue, WA) Pastor
Karen Modugno
November 16, 2017
Dear Fr. Paul,
You were a beacon that showed us the way in 1966-1969 at Alemany. Lit up our hearts & minds, made an unforgettable impact. Mass was alive & we experienced a new depth thru you.
Thankyou for being with me & my family in 1972. I treasure the specialness you gave me.
I pray for your Soul & that love surrounds you.
Always, ❣✝Karen Modugno
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