Paul Clyde Downing ’59


Paul Clyde Downing ’59 passed away on March 7, 2013, at his home in Intervale, New Hampshire. Paul entered Dartmouth from Saugus (Massachusetts) High School, where he was senior class vice president, on the student council, in the glee club, played football and was a National Honor Society member. At Dartmouth Paul was a brother of Chi Phi and president his senior year. He was active in the Dormitory Committee, Interfraternity Treasurers Council, Shocktroop Club and Marine platoon leader class. He was on the freshman crew team. After Dartmouth Paul tried corporate life at B.F. Goodrich in Akron, Ohio, but soon decided to return home to teach English, his Dartmouth major, for 40 years at Saugus High School. Greg Stark ’59, a fraternity brother, says that when Paul retired it was like a second Goodbye, Mr. Chips. One of Paul’s Saugus High School students was Bob Gaudet ’81, now the Dartmouth men’s hockey coach, who says, “Paul saw the potential in me to attend Dartmouth.” John Miller ’59 says, “Paul had that rare gift that everyone who met him liked him.” Paul was a softball and soccer coach when his children played and served as a warden of Prankers Pond for 25 years. Paul and Linda, his wife of 51 years, had season tickets to the North Shore Music Theatre for 45 years. A friend eulogized that Paul lived by the mantra “Don’t worry; be happy!” Linda, children Michael, Christopher and Susan and granddaughters Nicole and Marissa survive him.