He graduated from Sulphur High School in 1957, where he was a stand-out football player. He continued his football career at Louisiana Tech, where his on-field contributions resulted in being named to Tech’s “All-Century Team” in 2001. He played two seasons with the New York Titans of the fledgling AFL. After injuries sidelined him permanently, he began a globe-trotting career in the oil business as an off shore pipe line engineer, working for Jay Ray McDermott and Brown and Root, in the North Sea and Persian Gulf. While with Brown & Root, he developed at least one patentable innovation for offshore applications. He later formed his own consulting firms, working in the North Sea and Southeast Asia.
He enjoyed traveling and had many friends and colleagues throughout the world, but he was a Louisiana boy at heart--an avid outdoorsman, who was particularly fond of duck hunting, and knew how to “laissez les bons temps rouler.” “Red’s” grilling exploits are legendary within his family—to this day his grandsons know that you don’t start the grill unless you’ve got sausage ready to put on the coals.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Velma and “Eddie”, brother, George (Shirley), and former wife, Cherry Chapman, originally from West Monroe, LA.
Paul is survived by his children: Paul, Jr. (Lisa), Kansas City, Missouri; Holly(Mark) Carrigan, Houston, Texas; and Jeffrey(Tina), Chicago, Illinois; grandchildren Taylor, Daniel, Madison, Michael, Haley, Cooper, John Paul, Campbell Carrigan, and Kendall; nieces and nephews; Karen Swinney, Ft. Worth, Texas; Randy (Julie) Hynes, Weatherford, Texas; Lynn Hynes, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; great-nephews; Colt, Jake and Spencer; great-niece, Jennifer.
His Funeral service will be 11am Tuesday, September 3, 2013 at Hixson Funeral Home of Lake Charles. Visitation will be from 9am until service Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Highland Memory Gardens in Lake Charles, LA. Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.hixsonfuneralhomes.com.
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