Paul Connell Vilandré

1942 - 2025

Paul Connell Vilandré, 83, whose journey carried him from the Royal Canadian Navy to the forefront of Silicon Valley's technology revolution, passed away on May 2, 2025, at the Schneidmiller Hospice House in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.



Born February 14, 1942, in Baie-Comeau, Quebec, Canada, to Jean Moise and Emma Jean (nee Connell) Vilandré, Paul joined the Royal Canadian Navy Reserve as a young man, serving as a sub-lieutenant and completing officer training summers in Esquimalt, BC, and Halifax, NS-cities he loved and revisited throughout his life. At a cousin's wedding in 1961 he wore his naval uniform, his only "suit" at the time, an often-told family memory.



After earning an accounting degree from Loyola College in Montreal, Paul received his MBA from Harvard Business School and embarked on a distinguished thirty-five plus year career in the computing industry. He held senior financial posts at IBM and Digital Equipment Corporation, then moved to Silicon Valley in 1978, where he served in leadership roles at Intel, Convergent Technologies, and Oracle. He later guided several software start-ups through IPOs, mergers, and private transitions, and taught management to students and colleagues alike.



In 2004, Paul became Chief Financial Officer of the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA, the world's leading institution dedicated to preserving artifacts and stories of the information age. He later served on its finance committee and continued to support its mission. He led the Silicon Valley chapter of Financial Executives International (FEI) and served as western area vice president on the national executive committee. Beyond the profession, he gave time and talent as treasurer of his church and on nonprofit boards, including the Museum of North Idaho.



Paul's life was rich outside the office. He was an avid fisherman and outdoorsman who shared adventures with his family across California's lakes and ports. A lifelong rail enthusiast, he often spent meals with loved ones watching trains roll by while talking about history, economics, and life lessons, especially fond of the New York Central and Boston & Albany lines. He was a dedicated reader who enjoyed Tom Clancy and Clive Cussler. Paul was also a devoted art collector, a passion that ultimately led him to open a southwestern art gallery with his family.



Friends remember Paul as generous, witty, and steady; a longtime naval friend wrote that in six decades of knowing him, "we never had a disagreement."



Paul is survived by his beloved wife, Martha; his children, John Vilandré and Sarah Richards; and his grandchildren, Clinton Vilandré, Matthew Barrett, Jack Richards, and Riley Richards. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Victoria Barrett, his sister, Suzanne Campbell, and his parents Jean and Emma Vilandré.



He will be remembered for his integrity, humor, patriotism, and the warmth he offered to all who knew him. In the words of his naval kin, "Paul has crossed the bar."



A celebration of life will take place at 11 am Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, followed by a light lunch.