Paul Grey Dearman, 94

Paul Grey Dearman, 94, of Bigfork, passed away peacefully on Nov. 9, 2026. Paul was born in Chicago on Feb. 14, 1932, to Mona and Cyril Dearman.

After completing high school at Evanston Township High School in 1949, he worked as a punch press operator and welder until age 19 when he enlisted in the United States Air Force hoping to be a flyer like his father. Paul attended Navigational Aids school and was deployed to Korea from late 1952 - 1953, where he served in a communications squadron on a mountain top outside Seoul, Korea under SAC Command. Two months after the armistice was signed in August of 1953, he returned to the United States and was posted at Larson Air Force Base in Moses Lake, Washington. He attended Advanced Navigational Aids school on temporary assignment at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois where he met his wife-to-be, Ann Esche, the love of his life, and they were married upon his return to Larson AFB. Staff Sergeant Dearman received his Honorable Discharge and he and Ann moved to Lewiston, Idaho where he worked on radio, television and commercial communications equipment in the valley until January 1957. After some time in the Northwest, Paul and Ann moved to the Florida space coast where they raised their two children and Paul worked for the Missile Test center. Paul attended the Florida Institute of Technology and was a member of the first graduating class in Electrical Engineering.

In October 1965, Paul joined Gentry & Associates as a manufacturer's representative and sales engineer. He and three partners bought the company in 1973. In 1986, Paul and Ann moved to Orlando, Florida, where they lived for the next 18 years. In 1992, Paul and his partners sold their company, and he officially retired in 1993. In 1999, Paul and Ann bought a cabin in Bigfork where they spent their remaining years together.

Faith, family, and fellowship were the foundational pillars of how Paul lived his life every day. A deeply compassionate and generous soul, he was a dedicated supporter of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Shriner's Hospitals for Children. He loved spending time outdoors, finding great peace and joy in fishing, a love he passed down to his son and grandson. As a self-made man, his strong work ethic and perseverance paved the way for his success, and his enduring legacy lives on through his cherished family. Above all, he was a devoted husband, immensely proud grandfather and a lifelong learner with a unique gift for passing on essential life lessons to those around him. He believed in a simple yet profound philosophy: being good means actively raising people's self-esteem and inspiring them to truly enjoy life.

Paul is preceded in death by his loving wife of 68 years, Ann, parents, Mona and Cyril, sister, Lois Wherry, and brother, Lane Barnes. Paul is survived by his son, David (Jennifer) and daughter, Angela, and three grandchildren, Zackary, Connor, and Avery.

The family will hold a private burial.