Paul Wallace Ober

Paul Wallace Ober was born in Mount Pleasant, Ohio in 1928 to Dorothy and Howard Ober. He grew up in a town where William Hoover built a vacuum factory where many of Paul’s family worked. He was particularly fond of his Aunt Mable who lived an independent life driving her own car and protesting the installation of power lines in their neighborhood. Paul gravitated to music early in his life, eventually joining the band at Hoover High School. He served in the Army Air Corps in the military band where he often played Taps to honor fallen soldiers. His one brother, Corporal Ralph H. Ober, was missing in action in Italy in 1945. Paul kept a photo of Ralph and his fiancée on his family portrait wall. Paul used his GI Bill scholarship to attend Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio. He went on to Ohio State at Bowling Green to complete his master’s degree in music education. He met Diana Thurber during his college years and married on July 24, 1953. She joined him at Ohio State at Bowling Green, also earning her master’s degree. They both taught school early in their marriage until the cold winters in Ohio became intolerable and they decided to head west to Los Angeles. They watched the seasons change as they drove and welcomed the warmth when they arrived. They both continued teaching for many years on the outskirts of Hollywood until their desire to settle on a country farm led them to Gervais, Oregon where Paul raised Charolais and Simmental cattle. Nearing retirement Paul and Diana became very active in the Woodburn Art Center and developed into accomplished artists and gallery curators. They grew an orchard where Paul propagated many of his own fruit trees. They made great friends with numbers of people including Marie and Stan Townsend and Patricia Chandler-Smith. Diana died in December of 2003. Paul maintained his friendship with Patricia and happily married again in September of 2005. They enjoyed 13 years of marriage traveling, attending opera, library book sales, and church rummage sales where homemade pie was on offer. They provided consistent love and support to friends and family. Patricia died in October of 2018. Paul spent the last years of his life rekindling a relationship with his cousin Ruth Fosnaught with whom he shared a love of family history. He continued to attend his favorite operas. He grew tomatoes in his garden where he fed and visited daily with a large flock of finches, chickadees, yellow canaries, and hummingbirds. A pair of doves made a home in his wild cherry tree. They still reside there today. Paul is survived by his cousin Ruth Fosnaught, stepdaughters Karyn Hanson, Casey Lane, and Kelly Lane Rife, step great grandchildren Victoria and Darius Phillips, good friends Marie and Stan Townsend and many wonderful neighbors who provided loving care and support to help him live a long fulfilling life. We are grateful to have shared our life with him. He will be dearly missed.

Paul Wallace Ober

May 22, 1928 - May 18, 2024