Philip Paul III M’96
Philip Paul III, Easthampton, MA, died December 27, 2024, following a recurrence of leukemia.
Philip was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where his family was stationed while his father served in the U.S. Navy. After his father’s tours of duty in California and Virginia, the family settled in Coventry, RI. Philip was a 1967 graduate of Coventry High School, where he was a stand-out distance runner and was voted senior class president. He was named the Honor Roll School Boy Athlete of Rhode Island in 1967.
After graduation, he was selected by Sen .John O. Pastore as one of two of Rhode Island’s selections for entry to the United States Naval Academy. After graduation in 1971 from the Naval Academy, he joined the Marine Corps as a First Lieutenant and was first stationed in Annapolis as an instructor at the Academy. His many tours of duty included Twenty-Nine Palms, CA, and Honolulu, HI.
During his 20 years of service in the Marine Corps, he took advantage of opportunities to continue his education, earning an MBA from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a master’s degree in international relations from Georgetown University.
Philip was always interested in religious studies and helping others. After he retired as a major in the Marine Corps, he attended Saint Michael’s where he received a master’s in religious studies. He served as a pastoral counselor at East Stroudsburg State University in Pennsylvania. He also taught religion at Pope Francis Preparatory School and Holyoke Catholic in Massachusetts, where he organized service trips for students to work with youth in east Africa.
Philip will be remembered for his compassionate and generous spirit. After his retirement, he resided for several years in Central and South America, volunteering at schools, helping families and learning to speak Spanish.
Philip always enjoyed staying fit and was very disciplined about maintaining his fitness routine throughout his life. He also loved to travel, and he and Margarita enjoyed many visits to Bolivia and Hawaii. Although he achieved many awards and accolades in sports and academics, Philip always focused on promoting others. He will be remembered for encouraging and celebrating his family’s achievements, whether in sports, academics or their professions.
He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Margarita Sejas Paul. They married in Bolivia, when Philip was there learning Spanish. He is also survived by a brother, two sisters and extended family.
