Paul T. Prebish 08/26/2012
Paul T. Prebish, 67, died peacefully on Sunday, August 26, 2012 at his home with his family by his side.
Paul was born, May 2, 1945 in Cresson, PA the son of the late Peter and Mary (Padilla) Prebish. He grew up in Cresson and went to Cresson Joint High School, where he was a four sport athlete and was the captain of both his football and basketball team during his senior year. He graduated in 1963 and for time worked in Cresson before enlisting in the Air Force. He was stationed at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX for two years before volunteering to go to Vietnam where he was stationed at Cam Ranh Bay as a jet engine mechanic, working mainly on F-4 Phantom’s. After his discharge, Paul returned to Cresson for a brief time before moving to East Hartford, CT where he worked for Pratt and Whitney Aircraft. While working there he met Kathy Mason through a co-worker, and on August 9, 1969 they were married in St. Mary’s Cathedral in Ogdensburg. They lived together in East Hartford for a time before moving to Ogdensburg in 1970 and he has lived here since. After moving to Ogdensburg, Paul went to work for Shurtleff’s Auto Repair for several years then worked for General Motors in Massena before going to work at ACCO, where he spent twenty-one years, retiring in 2002. He also spent nineteen years serving in the Army Reserve stationed at both the Ogdensburg and Canton units, three years of which was under active duty time.
Paul was a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Penn State football, Syracuse basketball, and a true believer that the Pittsburgh Pirates would win the World Series every year. He also enjoyed watching television, especially NCIS, CSI, Criminal Minds, Monk, and Dancing with the Stars. In recent years he found joy in spending time with his friend Butch Wood in Butch’s woodshop, building household furniture for all the members of hi s family. He will be remembered as someone who always looked out for his friends and family, for years mowing the lawns and snow blowing the sidewalks of all of his neighbors. Paul will mostly be remembered as a wonderful family man, whose love for his wife, children, grandchildren, great –granddaughter, brothers, in-laws, nieces and nephews was endless and unconditional. He found great joy in being able to spend the last ten years traveling to spend time with all of his family.
He was predeceased by his father-in-law and mother-in-law Frank and Marie Mason and sister-in-law Linda Prebish.
Paul is survived by his wife Kathy of Ogdensburg; a son Jeff and his wife Terese of Onondaga Hill, NY; a daughter Anne Newhall and her husband Rick of East Granby, CT; a son Mark and his wife Heather of Windsor, VT; his grandchildren, Kevin Prebish and his wife Lindsay, Ian Prebish, Ethan, Claire and Adam Newhall; and Ella and Lily Prebish and his great grand-daughter, Siena. He is also survived by two brothers John Prebish and his wife Patti of Cresson and Bob Prebish of Altoona, PA; a brother-in-law Robert (Mike) Mason and his wife Marie of Penn Yan, NY; a sister-in-law Pat Hale and her husband Kenneth of Ogdensburg as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.
There will be no calling hours, and a private service will be held at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers donations in Paul’s memory can be made to Sarah House, 100 Roberts Ave., Suite 10, Syracuse, NY 13207
Kathy and family, Our thoughts and prayers are with you tonite as we read this. Paul was a great guy and a good friend in our years together in the reserves.
I worked with Paul when he was the active duty Motor Sergeant at the Canton US Army Reserve. I was just a kid at the time just out of high school. I remember Paul as a great man and one I really enjoyed working for, and thought about many times over the 30 years since I worked with him. He was kind and fair and a great person to work for and with. I am sorry to hear he has passed but I can tell by his obituary that he remained the incredible person I have remembered and missed since my few years of working with him.
he was very blessed
Rest in peace sir.
Kathy, I am so sorry for your loss. I know you and Paul fought hard for his life and improvement. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Brenda
Kathy our prayers and thought are with you and your family. I worked with Paul at the Canton Reserve Center, everyone liked Paul and he was a hard person not to like and respect.
Kathy, Jeff, Anne, Mark and families, We were so sorry to learn of Paul’s passing. Paul was such a wonderful family man and friend to all he knew. We enjoyed our visits through the years, although they were too few and far between. Paul’s friendliness and sincerety were what we remember most. He so loved all of his family and spoke so highly of them. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you during this most difficult time. We will miss our dear friend.
Kathy & Family. I am so sorry to hear of your loss…I worked with Paul at Acco for 20 yrs or more..He was a great guy and anyone would be proud to have been his friend.lPrayers and thoughts go out to you and the Family..May Paul RIP..Take care He will be missed…:(
Anne, Jeff and you loving family,
I’m sorry to hear of your dad’s passing. I know you all loved him very much and that he will be very missed by everyone who knew him. Thinking of you, sending prayers during this difficult time.
Kathy, our prayers are with you and your family. Paul was a good friend. I thank God that Paul and I had a chance to talk to each other the other day. We both talked about our Army times and the many friends we had made in serving. Paul will be missed by many but now he’s with our Lord. Rick & Sharon Mccabe
Kathy, Jeff, Mark, Ann and families. It was with sorrow that we read of Paul’s passing. His smile and great kindness were a gift to all, stranger and friend alike. Our thougths are with you all as you remember the many memories of a life well lived, and mourn a truly good man.
My thoughts and prayers are with you all.So saddened to hear of Pauls death. he was a wonderful man. I will certainly niss him.
Dear Mark,
We were so sorry to hear about the loss of your Father. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time.
Fondly,
Harley and Deb
I am sorry for your loss. I go to know Paul while serving in the Army reserve with him. I will always have very good memories of the things we did under his leadership.
Prebish & Newhall Family,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your families during this time. Know that he is in a much better place and is watching over all of you.
Deepest Sympathy,
Susan & Jay Reardon
Windsor Lock, CT
To the Prebish Family- My thoughts and prayers are with you all. I am sorry to hear of Paul’s passing. May you all be comforted in your days ahead. I have a great memory of spending time with Paul for Mark’s bachelor party. Love to all of you-
Mark I would like to extend my sympathies to you and your family on the passing of your dad. He sounds like he was a true patriot and served his country proudly. I will see you on my next trip to RFH.
Kathy, our prayers are with you and your family at this time of your/our loss. For those of us who were privileged to call Paul a friend our lives were enriched and better because Paul was a part of them. May God’s strength be with you.
To the Prebish Family- I only knew Paul for a very short time but he touched my heart from the moment I met him. I am sorry for your loss and my thoughts are with you. He was a wonderful man.
Jeff, Sue and I extend our condolences to you and your family, on the passing of your Dad. I met him several times over the years, and he always left us smiling. We will keep him in our prayers.
Dear Prebish Famly……Our sincerest sympathies! Thoughts & prayers are with you all!
I’ve finally gotten a chance to read all the nice comments about my Brother-In-Law and it only confirms what my wife and I have felt for as long as we’ve known him (40+years). Paul was the kindest, nicest man you would ever want to meet. He was always willing to help anyone out when in need. He cared and worried about others before himself and I would like to share 1 example with you. When I was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year and my wife and I made the trip to Ogd. to tell my family Paul felt terrible. He put his condition (much more serious) behind him and told me a number of times how sorry he was for my trouble. That shows you what type of person he was. I consider him the brother I never had and am so blessed to have had him in my life. Right up to the end he was more worried about me and all his family than himself. We will miss him–Bob & Marie Mason
Kathy and family,
Please accept my condolences. Paul was so good to me through our high school years. He was so kind and considerate.
Jeff, I was very sorry to hear the passing of your father. I am thinking of you and your family at this difficult time.
To Paul Prebish’s Family, Please accept my deepest sympathy for the loss of your husband and father. Paul and I went through grade school and high school together and were football and basketball teammates, but Paul was also a great friend who helped me get through our difficult teenage years. Our lives took different paths but during the few times we were able to get together Paul always talked about Kathy and how proud he was of his children. I know the last several years have been tough on Paul and you all but I hope you are able to forget the suffering and remember what a great guy Paul Prebish was I know I will. Sincerely, BJB
To Paul Prebish’s family.
Paul and I went from 1st grade through high school together. Those were different times. Good times. So many memories. I hadn’t seen him since we graduated in “63. Then when he was “home” this past winter, a small group of us from high school got together at PJ’s. He was all about family. I know he will be missed by many. God bless you all.
Sincerely – Emily Nagle
One of the greatest guys I ever knew, through grade school, high school and beyond. We settled all the world’s problems at our local watering hole, P.J.’s Tavern in Cresson, while I was in college and Paul was back from Vietnam Nam and working on the next phase of his life. When I last saw Paul, he was in Cresson visiting and stopped to see me. His life seemed so full and he could not stop talking of his wife and their family. Wonderful, wonderful person…my thoughts and prayers are with his family.
Have been remembering you in my prayers and will continue to do so.
God bless all of you.
Jeff, I’m so sorry to hear of your father’s passing. I know that he will be greatly missed by all, and I hope that your wonderful memories of him will bring you and your family peace. Thinking of you, Chris
Jeff, I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved Father. My deepest sympathy to you and your family.
To Mrs. Prebish, the Prebish family and especially Mark, our deepest sympathy for the loss of Paul. Mark, please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers. Jeff, Stu, Doug and Rich
Mark and family, our thoughts and prayers are with you all. Your dad is the man we would like all men to be. The few times we were together was all it took to realize your father was more than wonderful, he suffers no longer, but now in the kingdom of our maker.
GOD has blessed us all with his life among us.
Much Love
Sincerely,
Cousin David & family, Falls Church, VA.
Wishing the Prebish family strength during this time. Thoughts and prayers are with you.
Mark and family, our thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Tom, Bryan and Melissa
Dear Anne, Rick and family.
My arms are outstretched with a warm hug of condolence for all of you. It is never easy to lose a loved one and we are never ready either. May your wonderful memories sustain you today and forever more.
Best regards,
Cheryl McCann and family
Kathy and family.. Our prayers go out to you in your time of sorrow always Mary Jo and John Spooner
Kathy, What a beautiful tribute to your husband Paul. What a handsome man. I can relate to what you are going through. If you ever need to talk my phone number 315-492-4545. I will be in touch and hope the next time you visit your son in Syr. you will get in touch with me. My prayers and thoughts are with you
Many Blessings and Much Love.
Sheila