John W. Paul

John W. Paul John W. Paul DVM, MS, age 86, passed away peacefully on Oct. 29, 2020, after a more than 20-year challenge of Parkinson's disease. John, or Bill as he was known in his early years, was born in Livonia to Ralph W. and Hazel M. (Collins) Paul and grew up in Bloomfield. He attended Bloomfield Central School and graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a degree in business/marketing. John served in the U.S. Army and continued his education at Ohio State University earning both a doctor of veterinary medicine degree and a masters degree in clinical pharmacology. John had a long and distinguished career in animal health, including the development of Panacur and Regu-Mate for horses. He retired from Hoechst Roussel Vet, headquartered in Somerville, N.J., in 1998 before moving to Canandaigua. John was active in several professional organizations including American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), where he served as treasurer, American Academy of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics (AVPT) and American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). While in college, John drove the starting gate at Vernon Downs racetrack in New York. Later, he owned and raced two standardbred horses, Tippecanoe and Herald N. John's move to Canandaigua brought him back to his roots. He served on the board of the Ontario County Historical Society and was a member of Canandaigua Scientific. In 2014, he and his niece, Patricia White Talley, published "A Genealogical Study of the American Paul/Paull Family." John's passion was not limited to professional pursuits and horses. He put his business and marketing skills to work leading successful fundraisers reflecting his love of history and art. These include Canandaigua Artists Past and Present, Art of our Faiths and the juried show Women Artists of the Finger Lakes. Each of these was more successful than the one before with proceeds supporting his church. John's most significant contribution was founding the Parkinson Support Group of the Finger Lakes (PSGFL) in 2008. This group has grown from 12 Canandaigua members to serve hundreds of Parkinson ‘s disease (PD) patients/caregivers in eight New York counties. PSGFL will continue to expand its support of the PD community in John's memory. John is survived by his wife of 31 years, Patricia Pidgeon Smith; son, John Cameron Paul; two grandchildren; a great-grandson; brother-in-law, Walter P. Pidgeon Jr.; sister-in-law, Susan W. Pidgeon; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents; four sisters, Lucille (Kenneth) Sanderson, Marian (Robert) White, Jeanette (Leonard) Wesley and Thelma (Lewis) Buckman; niece, Nancy Boylan; and nephew, Leonard Wesley Jr. Our gratitude to the staff at Bridges of Mendon for their wonderful care of John. We look forward to a celebration of John's life in spring/summer of 2021 when weather and pandemic safety should be more favorable. Memorial contributions may be made to the Parkinson Support Group of the Finger Lakes (PSGFL), PO Box 131, Canandaigua NY 14424; or First Congregational Church, 58 N. Main St., Canandaigua NY 14424. Arrangements are by Johnson-Kennedy Funeral Home Inc., Canandaigua. Condolences may be offered at www.johnsonkennedy.com.