John Robert Paul, 73, died on New Year's Day 2022. He was born on March 1, 1948, in Litchfield, Illinois, the son of Margaret Helen and William Francis Paul, Sr. He spent his childhood on a farm near Raymond, Illinois, and his teen years in Springfield where he graduated from Griffin High School in 1966. He joined the U.S. Army as a helicopter crew chief and served his country in Vietnam where he was awarded a Bronze Star for meritorious service.

Upon return to civilian life, John Robert (Bob) worked at three companies in Springfield, Illinois, until his retirement: Martin Equipment Company, Modern Electric Motor, and Oratech Laboratories. He had an amazing ability to fix things which he accomplished with a keen ability to observe, an attention to detail, and a patience with the process. The places where he worked were not the only beneficiaries of his talents. He was always there for family members and friends who needed help with a car that wouldn't start or something needing fixing. However, his ability to fix things was not what people remember most about him. His sense of humor, quiet wit, and bad puns were the hallmarks of his personality as well as his kindness and gentle warmth.

John Robert is survived by his wife, Pamela Suzanne of Buffalo, Illinois; his children, Kristopher Adam Paul (Rachel) of St. Louis, Missouri, Katherine Helen Paul of Springfield, Illinois, Angela Michelle Pryer (Matthew) of Springfield, Illinois; his stepson Warren Robert Manker (Katherine) of Naperville, Illinois; his grandchildren Evelyn Jean and Noah Kenneth Paul of St. Louis, Missouri, James Vana, Victoria Kathryn, and Thomas Robert Manker of Naperville, IL; his siblings William Francis Paul (June) of Bonita Springs, Florida, Dorothy Jean Willoughby of Loami, Illinois, and Mary Ann Fenley of Monroe, Georgia; and a number of cousins, nieces and nephews, and great nieces and nephews.

Services will be held Friday, January 7, 2022 at Fullenwider-Park Funeral Home in Mechanicsburg, Illinois, with visitation at 11:30 am, funeral service at 12:30 pm, and burial at Camp Butler National Cemetery at 2:00 pm. CDC protocol shall be followed. Masks are required.

In lieu of flowers, friends who wish to make a donation in his memory are encouraged to donate to the Lewy Body Dementia Association https://www.lbda.org/donate/ , the American Brain Foundation https://give.americanbrainfoundation.org/give/346367/#!/donation/checkout , or the SIU Memory Clinic https://forwardfunder.siumed.edu/project/18841 .