We’ve lost Paul Curran, our master guest columnist and prolific comment-leaver

/ October 8, 2016

Those of us who’ve grown to love the lively words that bounced from the head and fingers of Paul Curran will never be the same.

The writer from Canada has died, according to his neighbor Steve Watson.

I received this email on the contact tab from my blog:

With great sadness I have to tell you that Paul Curran has passed away. Paul passed last week.

Our guest blogger, Paul Curran.

Our guest blogger, Paul Curran.

Your Barrista -- Paul Curran

Your Barrista — Paul Curran

Now Your Barrista – Paul Curran

Now Your Barrista – Paul
Curran

A series of the column head shots Paul sent me since 2013 to just a month ago.

I found the email this morning. I arrived yesterday. Steve Watson was listed as the photographer in the If We Were Having Coffee Sunday column Paul had me post here on Sept. 11 after his emergency operation.

I could not find an obituary through search engines.

Paul lived in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He was hoping to move to Vancouver.

I first met Paul when he began commenting on my stories when I began this blog here on WordPress in March 2013. In May 2014 he told me about a time he and his buddies drove a golf cart into a pond. He sent me the photo so I could post it here. A wonderful relationship grew. I urged him to begin his own blog, but he maintained that his computer was too old and haphazard

Shortly after that, he began writing a regular Sunday Cuppa feature for willowdot21 as well as commenting frequently on more and more WordPress blogs.

An email conversation we had after a comment he had on my movie review of The Judge did not publish resulted in him accepting my invitation to write his first guest post for me. I hit publish on Mum on Oct. 19, 2014. I knew I had a special blogger on my hands, and – yes, I’ll admit it – badgered him somewhat to write more, for me and others here in BloggyVille. I never could convince him to start his own blog. He did continue to write more, here and for other special people in this community of ours. On America’s Father’s Day in 2015, I published The Chief, which I considered the bookend to Paul’s aforementioned piece on his mother, two complicated and fascinating looks at growing up and thereafter.

Afterward, he began regularly contributing to Cordelia’s Mom, Still, and my friend at that fantastic blog created a glossary of Paul’s WordPress work.

Then came a period of Paul Curran silence. After a week or so, I grew worried and put out a WordPress call. After all, Paul’s bout with cancer before all of this and subsequent kidney disease and regular dialysis appointments were common knowledge.

Fellow Canadian blogger Linda G. Hill volunteered to stop by his apartment on a trip to his home city. Bad WiFi was found to be the cause, Linda reported on her blog.

WordPress rejoiced at the news. WiFi was fixed. We got our Paul back. His Sunday column came to me, with some rockiness because of his dialysis treatment. I did not receive a column last week. Not the first time in the past several months.

Now, this news.

Sadness, yes. Much sadness.

He was smart. He was worldly. He knew a little bit – or a lot – about most things he saw chose to click upon here on WordPress. He was not shy about sharing that knowledge. Ha!

I look to the north right now and say words of praise and love for Paul Curran. You will be missed very much, good sir.

Now I humbly ask you to share this post, my attempt at a WordPress obituary. I think our community must get the word out about the loss of the man who graced so many blogs with his way with words. If you write your own post about Paul, please link it to this post and tag it Paul Curran’s Passing.

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158 thoughts on “We’ve lost Paul Curran, our master guest columnist and prolific comment-leaver”

  1. Pingback: Tribute to an old Friend. | willowdot21

  2. I am profoundly sad today. He was a father big brother to me and to think he is gone physically… no more suffering Paul… you were loved and are missed …you memory lives on in my heart and mind….long drives…port wine…. you were true to yourself and others forever selfless… thank you for introducing me to David and Steve … and so many others… I love you Paul Curran rest in peace. I knew you wouldn’t be silent this long without something being wrong…

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    • Yes, Penny, even though I only knew Paul through this blog world, I considered him a wise man and a true friend. I miss him very much. I can imagine how you feel, having him been an important part of your life and then the silence. So very sad.

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  5. With tears in my eyes…I am deeply saddened to hear this news. I worked with Paul for many years. He was the life of the office. Always a smile, singing a tune, whistling and positive things to speak of even though he battled so many hardships. Love this man. Love you, Paul. RIP xo

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    • I wish I could have had such a pleasure, Sandra. The gains of daily eye-to-eye contact with a soul such as Paul! Alas, we worked only over this Internet. Thanks for adding to our eulogy here.

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  7. I knew Paul a bit from other writings in, what I thought was, a different circle of WordPress bloggers but it seems he untied many more of us than I thought. He will be missed by many. ❤

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  10. I saw the sad news on rarasaur’s blog. I’m sorry to hear about the loss of yours and so many blogger’s friend. Isn’t it amazing how close a people can become without ever having met in person. Hugs to you all.

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  11. THUD. Although I was not privileged enough to have one of Paul’s comments show up on my blog, yours and Ra’s words convince me he was an amazing person. So sorry for our loss. I will light a candle for him on October 31. May your journey be a smooth one, Paul.

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  12. I did not know Paul but recognize his name … came here to post a condolence after reading at Rara’s spot. My husband Crossed Over similarly — heart issues for a number of years, cancer in 2007, prep for dialysis last year and then gone. I know what it feels like … may his many friends find peace in the pieces of him that will remain for all time.

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  15. I didn’t have the honour of really knowing Paul, our paths only crossed when I would read his comments on other posts. Yes he was prolific, a caring man with a good sense of humour. We are all connected by a fine line through WordPress and are a family of many. As long as there is time, as long as there is love and as long as we have the breath to say his name, he will be loved and never forgotten. RIP Paul, soar with the Angels.

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    • Thanks so much for adding your beautiful voice to our community tribute to our Paul, Ra. He followed your journey through my blog back then and was always offering his thoughts and concern in the comment section, per his constant form. Thud, yes.

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  18. Hi Mark-
    not sure if my link came in for the trackback of this post – but wanted to say thanks for this post (and the other one) and we knew Paul so much more because of you (and CM – and The doobs) – anyhow….

    Here is my response to Paul’s passing:

    Paul’s essence will be with us.

    That is just the way life goes – you know – when we open up and share with others – it creates this bond – that leaves a connection inside our souls.

    When we share with others – via social media or in everyday shared geographical space, we connect as human beings – and the social overlapping amongst us becomes this web of intrinsic meaning. It is what makes us feel alive – and so many of us are grieving the loss of this blogger friend because he connected with us and added to our life.

    This writer from Canada.

    This commenter who liked to encourage.

    This man who liked people.

    This dude who had to endure dialysis in order to make it through another week.

    Paul, a fiction writer, who used words to give us a slice of past and present allowing us to ponder societal trends and human experience.

    RIP PC
    ~y.prior 2016

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  20. I saw this sad news on Cordelia’s Mom, Still, yesterday…
    He will be missed, indeed. His stories often made me laugh, sometimes cry and then laugh, and always think about that “mile in the other guy’s shoes”…
    {{{Hugs}}} to all ~

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  29. So sorry for the loss of a good friend of yours, Mark. Paul was someone I “ran into” on blogs where he commented on or your guest posts, as mentioned in this kind and warm tribute to him. May he be peacefully laughing, riding a gold cart, ready to tee off with some of the best! Recently departed Jack Nicklaus may enjoy Paul’s wry sense of humor and commentaries on life. 🙂

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  30. Oh my goodness Mark. I just found out a few mins. ago. Gibber Jabberins post tomorrow is our last question from Paul in hounour of him written by Tippy Gnu.
    I’m in Canada so I’ll try to do a little digging. This is so very sad after the battle he just fought and survived.

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  32. I was made aware of this news this morning. All day I have shed a tear on and off. What words can one say to bring comfort of some sort to all those who will miss him oh so terribly very much. Sweet sweet dearest Paul. My heart is aching. The wisest kindest soul I have had the pleasure to call friend.
    Thank you for making us aware Mark.

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