Paul L. Vick, loving husband, caring father, and respected community leader, passed away May 25th, 2010 at the age of 83 at his home in Kennewick, Washington. Paul was born in a little house in Pablo Montana, on February 11th, 1927 to father Richard and mother Mildred. The son of a Methodist minister, Paul grew up in the parsonages and houses of the churches his father served in northwestern Montana including Pablo, Libby, Sunburst, Choteau and Kalispell Montana. During his youth attending school, he played sports and worked on the farms and ranches of his family's friends and relatives. Paul graduated from Flathead County High School in 1944, lettering in varsity football as a tight end, voted 'Most likely to Succeed', and gave the commencement speech for his class. After graduation and with WWII still raging, Paul wanted to join his older brothers serving our country. Too young to join the Navy, he instead received his Seaman's' license with the Merchant Marines while working in the Portland OR ship yards. After a dangerous trip aboard a Liberty ship to Guam and back, he was old enough to join the Navy. Following boot camp, he became a chaplain's assistant, and later attended V12 school at Colorado College in Colorado Springs to become a Naval pilot. With the War ending, Paul decided to head back to his family and friends in Montana. During the next couple of years, he attended the University of Montana, worked in a logging camp, and then joined the Forrest Service - honing his skills needed to become a land surveyor. After starting his own surveying business Paul L. Vick & Associates, Paul was elected County Surveyor for Missoula County. Enduring the tough economic times that hit the region during the 1960's, Paul moved his family out west to Edmonds WA in 1968. There he began a career as an airport planner joining Reid Middleton, where he oversaw the beginning of their aviation-airport planning division. During this time, Paul realized a life-long dream and became a private pilot - keeping his license and instrument rating for over 30 years. In 1977, Paul received an opportunity to further his career and extend his passion for aviation accepting a position as the Industrial Development Manager and later the Airport Manager with the Port of Port Angeles in beautiful Port Angeles, WA. The culmination of his professional career came when he accepted the position of Executive Director at the Port of Pasco in 1983 where he oversaw multiple projects including major improvements at the Tri-Cities Airport. Following his retirement in 1991 from the Port of Pasco, Paul finished his career as a Commissioner for the Port of Kennewick serving another 9 years until 2001. During Paul's retirement years, he deeply enjoyed times-shared with Eleanore: setting up displays for her bazaar-hopping business Grandma Vick's Treasures, traveling in their RV, playing cards, and visiting family. He was also an avid golfer with his good friend Ken Schmidt. Over the past few years, he spent most of his time caring for his beloved wife until she passed in November of 2009. He missed her deeply? In 1948, while attending a barn dance in the Lewiston Orchards, he met the love of his life, Eleanore. A few months after that first night of dancing and a late chicken dinner at a Clarkston diner maybe some star gazing too - the couple was married in Colfax WA by a justice of the peace at a friend's apartment in early November of that same year. Over the next 61 years of marriage, living across Idaho Lewiston and Moscow, Washington Pasco, Kennewick, Edmonds, Lynnwood, and Port Angeles Oregon The Dalles and Montana Missoula - they formed many special relationships and friendships that filled a lifetime of memories. Paul is survived by his four sons Charles Paul 60 and wife Brandy, Robert Paul 57, David Paul 55 and wife Diane, Timothy Paul 44 and wife Kelly; sister Mildred Hansen; brother Chuck Charlie Vick and wife Carol, sister-in-law Patty Vick, and many grandchildren and cousins? He is preceded in death by wife Eleanore; parents Richard and Mildred Vick; and brothers Austin, Keith, and Dick. A memorial service will be held on Saturday May 29th at 1:30pm at West Highlands United Methodist Church 17 S. Union, Kennewick with a graveside service on June 12th, 1pm, at Desert Lawn Memorial Park Kennewick. Paul's life played out across a large canvas, building tremendous relationships both personally and professionally. While regional Port and Airport associations WAMA, WPPA, PNWA, WA State Good Roads & Transportation and service clubs numerous Rotaries, Chambers, and Kiwanis lost a good friend, his family lost a protective brother, loving husband, supportive father, and playful grandfather. Our memories of Dad seemed always interwoven with our mom - the two seemed never apart. Compassionate, non-judgmental, tolerant and patient?he willed us to achieve and accomplish by our desire to show him our best. And although his "Vick", dry sense of humor was not realized by all, his true positive attitude will be remembered by those that knew him. His love of nature's beauty - sunsets, landscapes, and seascapes - is evident from the lineage along his chosen career path, and is engraved in the four sons that have become his legacy.