PAUL AND I WERE CLOSE FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES IN A REMARKABLY
COLLEGIAL AND SUCCESSFUL MINERALS GROUP IN GETTY OIL COMPANY.
I FIRST MET HIM AT A SMALL AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS LUNCH HERE IN SALT LAKE CITY.
I LIKED AND REMEMBERED WHAT I SAW, AND SO, ON A SUNDAY IN APRIL 1967, PAUL AND I CONDUCTED AN INTERVIEW ON THE ALTA SLOPES FOR A MANAGER’S JOB WITH THE NEW GETTY MINERALS GROUP. AT THE END OF AN EXHILARATING DAY, IT WAS CLEAR TO ME THAT PAUL WAS AN EXCEPTIONALLY INTELLIGENT, WARM, INTERESTED AND STREET-SMART HUMAN BEING. I KNEW OF PAUL’S PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND AND SO THE INTERVIEW WAS SOLELY TO SEE WHAT KIND OF GUY PAUL WAS, AND, IMPORTANTLY, IF I LIKED HIM, WHICH I DID.
I HAD REMEMBERED SIR ERNEST OPPENHEIMER’S ADMONITION: I ONLY DEAL WITH PEOPLE I LIKE WE CHUCKLED MANY TIMES ABOUT THAT DAY..
PAUL DID NOT DISAPPOINT! HE BUILT UP AND RAN THE COMPETENT AND CONVIVIAL SALT LAKE GROUP IN A HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL WAY. HE WAS WELL RESPECTED AND WARMLY REGARDED LOCALLY AND IN THE WIDER PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
FROM SALT LAKE PAUL WENT ON TO LEAD GETTY’S AUSTRALIAN EXPLORATION GROUP IN SYDNEY AND IN THE WORDS OF KIM STANTON-COOK, ONE OF PAUL’S AUSTRALIAN GEOLOGISTS, PAUL WAS A CHAMPION HUMAN BEING WITH A CAPACITY TO ENGENDER LOYALTY THAT WAS QUITE EXTRAORDINARY. HE WAS CAPABLE, CARING, AND WARM. WE WILL CHERISH OUR MEMORIES OF PAUL AND JACKIE – A GREAT TEAM.
PAUL’S QUIET AND GENTLE DEMEANOR HID A DISCIPLINED, RIGOROUS. APPROACH TO LIFE AND HIS PROFESSION. HE WAS NO PUSHOVER FOR THE TROOPS. IN THE WORDS OF BILL PENNELL, NOW MANAGER OF RTZ’S NON-METALLIC MINERALS GROUP: I’LL NEVER FORGET, AND HAVE CONTINUED TO CHERISH (IN HINDSIGHT), PAUL RETURNING MY FIRST GEOLOGIC REPORT WITH THE SINGLE STATEMENT, UNACCEPTABLE. BILL WENT ON TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANT ROLE PAUL PLAYED IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF HIS CAREER.
AS YOU KNOW, PAUL WAS A PILOT HE FLEW P-38’S, LUCKY STIFF! PILOTS HAVE QUALITIES NOT FOUND IN NORMAL HUMANS. THEY HAVE THE RIGHT STUFF AND PAUL HAD IT IN ABUNDANCE!
FINALLY, ON A VERY PERSONAL NOTE. PAUL WAS THE KINDEST PERSON I’VE EVER KNOWN. AND SO, WE COMMEMORATE YOU WITH THE VENERABLE GERMAN MINER’S SALUTATION: GLUECK AUF DEAR FRIEND.
Siegfried Muessig
Salt Lake City
August 7, 2003
