Dr. Paul Andrew Wolf

Dr. Paul Andrew Wolf - Feb. 18, 1912-Oct. 12, 2012. Paul was born Feb. 18, 1912 in Terre Haute, Indiana, the eldest son of George and Susie Wolf. He died October 12, 2012, in Sun City, Arizona. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary; son, Bruce; and brothers Mark, John, and George. His surviving children include sons, Keith, Don and Ken, and daughters, Lois Brunvand, Judy Pierce, Suzannah Baker, and Betty Bassett.
Paul's work ethic was formed early in life when, as a fifth grader, he delivered milk in Millersburg, Indiana in a wagon. In 1926, he began work as a janitor at the Mulberry State Bank but was quickly promoted to the posting machine to record customer transactions. Because of the depression, his father moved the family to W. Lafayette, Indiana in 1929, where Paul delivered papers after school, was a star football player, a genius in Latin and chemistry. Paul matriculated at Purdue University where he was encouraged by Professor Corley to become a biochemist, which he did, earning a PhD degree in 1937.
Paul married Mary Elizabeth Backert in 1935 and in 1937 they moved to Chicago where he worked for Armour and Company isolating and assaying hormones from slaughtered pigs. From Chicago, the family moved to Dewitt, Michigan, where he worked for the Michigan Department of Health for 3 years producing a pneumonia antitoxin.
Based on an unexpected but exciting offer from the Dow Chemical Company, the family moved to Midland, Michigan in 1942.
Paul began working with compounds used in the paper process, then with secondary oil recovery and finally with the development of fungicides for paints.
During this time he was active in Kiwanis, Toastmasters, the Boy Scouts and the First United Methodist Church and enjoyed playing tennis and paddle ball.
He and Mary had a large house built on a 65 acre property outside of Midland, and Paul (with various helpers) spent five years doing all the inside finishing, working on Saturdays with whatever supplies they were able to afford that week. They maintained a huge garden, planted thousands of Christmas trees, and financed college educations for all seven of their children. Paul retired from Dow in 1970. In 1975, he and Mary moved to Augusta, Georgia. To everyone's profound sadness, Mary was stricken with cancer and died in 1981.
Paul moved to Sun City, Arizona later that year and became active in his church, Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels and any other volunteer group or person who needed his help. In 2004 his health prevented him from physically volunteering and in 2006 he moved to Sun Valley Lodge. He donated both his house and car to the local First United Methodist Church and he continues his generous charitable gifts even into death.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 3rd at 2:00 P.M. at the Sun Valley Lodge Chapel, Sun City, Arizona. The family suggests that memorial donations may be made to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014-5656.
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