PAUL GERSHICK

May 25, 1925 - July 4, 2020 PALM DESERT-Our Patriarch, PAUL GERSHICK, contracted COVID-19 in June of 2020, and died of complications from the virus on July 4th, 2020. He had just celebrated his 95th birthday. Like so many families during this pandemic, we were unable to be with him in the hospital. Paul was preceded in death by his parents Samuel and Bertha (nee Fraidlin) and sister, Sylvia Gardener, who lived to the age of 100. Paul is survived by his wife of 35 years, Pat Gershick, his 2 sons Steve (and wife Dayna) and Mark (and wife Diana), 3 stepdaughters: Robin Redden, Karen Frantz & Susan Margolin, 13 grandchildren, their 4 spouses and 7 great grandchildren in addition to his only nephew Larry Levy and family.Paul was dedicated to his Jewish Faith yet loved to celebrate all the holidays as the patriarch of his remarkably diverse family. Despite family divorces, stepchildren, exes, different religions and politics, he kept the family together with a wide armed attitude of inclusion. Paul was born in Queens, New York to parents who immigrated from Minsk, Russia (later Poland and now Belarus) in 1912. They were very involved in the labor movement. The family then moved to Connecticut until Paul joined the Air Force in 1943 right out of high school. Paul served 3 years in the Air Force as a flight engineer and top turret gunner in B-24 bombers. After being discharged from the Air Force he attended and graduated from Syracuse University as a history major. Paul remained a lifelong Syracuse football and basketball fan. He then moved to California where his parents and sister had already relocated. Paul had a successful career in the life insurance industry and achieved Life Membership in the Million Dollar RoundTable for 50 years. After a divorce from his first wife of 30 years, Roberta, Paul met Pat Frantz in 1982 and they were married October 13, 1984. Pat and Paul lived in Woodland Hills in Los Angeles, CA until they retired in 1992 and moved to Del Webb Sun City, in Palm Desert, CA. Paul and Pat started hiking in the desert several times a week which led to travelling to many National Parks in CA, OR and WA. They then joined the Road Scholar Travel Club (formerly Elderhostel) and were fortunate to be able to visit and hike in many other states and countries. To stay strong and in shape, Paul went to the gym to lift weights regularly until he was 90. Paul was instrumental in forming the Sun City Palm Desert Hiking Club and became the 1st Hike Leader Coordinator in 2001 at the age of 76. An avid hiker, he became interested in native plants. He decided to take classes at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens and earned the credits to become a Master Desert Naturalist on Nov 11, 2006 at the age of 81. Paul then went on to get certified as a Docent on March 6, 2007, in order to be able to lead hikes and teach others about native plants, animals, and insects. His focus was survival in harsh terrain. Paul was a lifelong learner who developed extensive knowledge of desert geology, botany, paleontology & archaeology that he enthusiastically shared with others as a docent until he was 90 years old.In addition, Paul worked in Palm Springs at the Agua Caliente Museum where he shared his passion for and knowledge of the Agua Caliente Tribe of Cahuilla Indians whose presence in the Coachella Valley goes back 5000 years. Paul volunteered at the Coachella Valley Nature Conservancy Land and Management Center for over 20 years where he led interpretive walks and lectured on the ecology of plants and how they survived the dry desert climate. An attendee of one of his lectures wrote a book about the indigenous people and plants of the Coachella Valley that she dedicated to him. The book, "Birdsong for a Creosote Bush, A Story of Indigenous People's Wisdom", is written and illustrated by Cyndi Strid. Her dedication: "This book is dedicated to desert naturalist, Paul Gershick. His deep passion for the desert and its earliest people inspired the creation of this children's book." Due to the coronavirus, Paul's memorial service was held online over zoom last year with family and friends. This year the family is taking the anniversary of his passing to gather, to remember and to celebrate a life well lived.