Paul McCaw

Paul Edwin McCaw died April 6, 2012, surrounded by family and friends. He is survived by his wife Mary at their Prescott home. He was preceded in death by his parents Ernest and Lila McCaw.

Paul was born February 15,1934. He attended Prescott High school in 1952, where he was quarterback for the football team and a pitcher for the baseball team, once pitching a no-hitter. He also started for the basketball team.

After graduating from high school, he attended Whitworth College, where he studied education, music and social studies. After graduating, he served two years in the military service, receiving an honorable discharge.

He then farmed with his father and taught in the Prescott and John Day school districts. He received his master's at the University of Washington. In 1960 he began teaching history and social studies at Lake Washington High school near Seattle. He was loved by his colleagues and was adept at teaching students to think critically.

He spent summers at the family farm helping with harvest. He built a large pond. Fishing for the pond's trout delighted his parents and the community's children. He loved classical music and was an accomplished folk singer, guitarist and banjo player. In 1993 he returned to the farm where he built a 4-acre pond, planted trees and other vegetation, installed an irrigation system and turned the farm into a place of beauty. During his teaching career and after he retired, he held annual cider pressing parties, using apples from the orchard he'd planted and the old press that he and his father had restored.

Paul loved writing letters to editor. He was a generous, loving, intelligent man and will be missed.

At Paul's request, there will be no funeral or memorial service.