Paul Steven Safko

Paul Steven Safko, 62, passed away on October 21, 2024, in the Vitas inpatient hospice unit at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Florida. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland to Helen Brelsford Safko and Joseph Steven Safko. After living in Sandbridge Beach, Virginia, his family settled in Zanesville, Ohio where Paul grew up and attended Zanesville High School. He graduated from Manatee High School in 1980 following a move to Anna Maria Island, Florida.
Paul graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Geology in 1985. He then went on to graduate school at the University of South Florida in Tampa to study hydrogeology and this is where he met his future wife, Joann Brinson. He earned his Master of Science degree in 1989. Paul and Joann were married on June 30, 1990, in Pensacola, Florida and lived in Tampa for nine years while he worked as a geologist for environmental and engineering consulting firms. While working in Tampa, Paul became the Health and Safety Officer at HSW Engineering, and he worked on many projects to monitor soil and groundwater quality. He was especially proud of the work he completed for NASA's rocket launch sites at Kennedy Space Center. During this time in Tampa, Paul and Joann welcomed their 2 children, James and Anna.
In 1999, Paul moved his family to Pensacola, Florida and joined Gallet and Associates/ Terracon Consultants where he was a Senior Geologist and the Environmental Services Manager. He continued to spend the next 18 years managing numerous environmental site assessments in Northwest Florida. He was a member of the Florida Associations of Professional Geologists and Environmental Professionals, the Southwest Alabama Geological Society, and the Society of American Military Engineers. In 2017 Paul took a position with The Florida Department of Environmental Protection as a Professional Geologist until 2021. He was very proud of the work he did with groundwater monitoring and clean-up as well as landfill permitting.
Apart from his professional career, Paul was very active in his community, being a 16-year member of the Rotary Club of Pensacola North where he was awarded the Paul Harris Fellow and the Leo Brown Service Above Self award. He was also president of the Ellyson Park Toastmasters Club in 2004 and was a member of Leadership Pensacola Class of 2006. Along with his family he was an active member of First United Methodist Church in Pensacola where he served on various committees and loved the fellowship he found there.
As far as hobbies, Paul was a member of the Under the Hill Tennis League and spent many an hour playing tennis at Roger Scott Tennis Center. Although not an avid golfer, he still looked forward to his annual golf trips with his friends from USF grad school. He had other interests that included rock collecting, fishing, surfing, and pickleball. One of his favorite pastimes was spending time on his boat with his family exploring local waters, fishing and water skiing. Since childhood, his family were members of the Zanesville Club fish camp on Philip Edward Island in the Georgian Bay near Lake Huron, Ontario, Canada. Paul was very happy here spending time with family and friends. He said this is where he developed his love of rocks and geology.
Most importantly, Paul loved his family and was the most devoted husband and father. He was a very involved father and will be remembered for all the ways he sacrificed to spend time with his children. He carved out time every night to read to them when they were little. When they were older, he became a soccer coach, in-class rock and fossil presenter, Sunday school teacher, swim team volunteer, camp and hiking chaperone, theatre troupe and youth choir chaperone, not to mention all the hours attending school events, concerts and recitals. He and his wife enjoyed their years together and were so fortunate to have spent time travelling and visiting family before Lewy Body Dementia made those things too difficult.
Paul Steven Safko is survived by his wife of 34 years, Joann Brinson Safko, his son James Joseph Safko of Waltham, Massachusetts, his daughter Anna Patrice Safko of Pensacola, his sister Andrea Skatrud of Twisp, Washington, his brother Tom Safko of Hernando Beach, Florida and his stepmother, Karen Safko of The Villages, Florida. He loved his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law as well as his many nieces and nephews. Paul is predeceased by his parents, Joe and Helen Safko.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00pm on Saturday, December 7, 2024, at First United Methodist Church in Pensacola with a reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program https://pensacolaandperdidobaysestuaryprogram-bloom.kindful.com under "Paul Safko legacy donation".
WATERS & HIBBERT FUNERAL HOME is in charge of arrangements.