Paul Delman

The passing of Paul Delman on the morning of December 4, 2022, has left his family and friends with the loss of his vibrant presence. Paul was born in Romania in 1941 and shortly thereafter became a Russian citizen by virtue of the annexation of part of that country by the Soviet Union during WWII. His life presented more challenges than most of us can imagine, but Paul's spirit and determination were a powerful force and he finally left the U.S.S.R. in 1977 and eventually became a citizen of the U. S., a country he loved and which gave him the opportunity to thrive.
Paul's degree in structural engineering was the beginning of a nearly 60 year career constructing commercial buildings, apartment complexes and custom homes in New Jersey where he headed his own company for many years. After closing his business he began working for a military contractor supervising renovations and new construction at Fort Bragg, Fort Belvoir, West Point, Fort Leonard Wood, Carlisle Barracks, finishing at Fort Dix in May of this year at the age of 81. He had retired in 2018 and he and his wife, Alexandria, moved to Kinston, NC but within six months he was asked to return to Fort Dix to be part of the team working on five new projects there. Paul had a unique combination of skills, along with engineering, he was licensed as a safety and quality control expert and so, even at age 77 he was in demand. Having grown up in a Communist country he was keenly aware of how fortunate he was to be here and he felt honored to work on military bases and made lasting friendships with the men he worked with at the Army Corp of Engineers.
Paul was diagnosed with bone and prostate cancer in 2019 but continued to work, never missing a day and always the first to arrive at 5 AM. Every Friday his "Corp" friends and he would have lunch and drink the espresso he prepared. Two of these friends traveled to his home for a two day visit this past August, as Paul's cancer had now spread to his liver and lungs and he was told he had only a few months to live. He and his wife, family and friends lived these last precious months as fully as his health would allow and when Hospice became involved in his home care the kind and loving nurses would marvel at how mentally engaged he remained until the last few weeks. Humor was central to his and his wife's relationship and they loved sharing their "stories" with visitors; the laughter and love mixed in with the grief they felt. They are grateful for the love, support and compassion shown by the doctors who initially helped Paul, the Hospice team, friends, newly made and of long standing, and family members along with the kindness of people whose paths they briefly crossed but who felt their pain and reached out.
Paul has left behind his wife, Alexandria, niece, Ala, brother Miron, stepson, Eric Steinen (Erin), grandson, Hollis Steinen, grandson, Aidan Sechy. He is preceded in death by his son, Fredy, who died at age 9.
Paul is, and always will be, loved deeply and missed every day, forever.
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