Paul Werner Zell

Paul Werner Zell
Paul Werner Zell (91 years) passed away peacefully on March 27th, 2019, at his home in Palm Desert, CA. Born in Baden, Switzerland to Wilhelm and Anna Zell, Paul learned woodworking as a boy in his father's furniture business during World War II. In 1948, he earned a prestigious Master's Degree in Carpentry in Bern, Switzerland. Seeking new opportunities, Paul immigrated to Montreal Canada, and then to the US, where he started a furniture design and manufacturing business in San Francisco. It was in San Francisco in 1960 that Paul met Kerstin Cedergren from Sweden, they quickly fell in love, and were married.
A need to expand the Zell Designs furniture production capacity led to a move to Petaluma, where he purchased a former chicken hatchery on Bodega Avenue. It was there that Paul crafted his office furniture and designed his innovative "electronic" desks. These desks, handcrafted from beautiful hardwoods, integrated modern electronics into sleek designs that became popular. He sold his contemporary desks all over the US and around the world to prominent leaders in politics and business, often traveling abroad to personally install them. The desks also appeared on TV shows such as the Six Million Dollar Man, Barretta, Columbo, The Price is Right and were featured on CBS News with Walter Cronkite.
Paul and Kerstin loved Petaluma and became actively involved in the local community as they started a family. Paul sadly lost Kerstin to cancer in 1970, but focused his life on raising their three children and continuing to build a successful business. Paul enjoyed being a part of the Petaluma Rotary Club where he was delighted in the camaraderie of his fellow Rotarians. His larger-than-life personality and sense of humor often resulted in "fines" that contributed to important charitable causes. He also loved relaxing at the coast, especially at Doran Park in Bodega Bay.
In his later years, Paul enjoyed traveling and running a model railroad club with his good friend Helga. Although he eventually moved south to Palm Desert, Paul's heart was always in Petaluma. Paul is survived by his three children Peter Zell of Moss Beach, CA, Stephan Zell of San Carlos, CA, and Marianne (Mia) Steiger of Sonoma, CA; seven grandchildren; Helga Mouchawar of Palm Desert, CA and his twin brother Walter Zell of Coco Beach, FL. He was preceded in death by his wife Kerstin and brother Wilhelm (Bill).
A celebration of life for family and friends will be held this spring.