Paul Richard Poffenberger

Paul passed away on Wednesday, June 3, 2020 at his home in the presence of loved ones. He was 69 years old.  He is survived by his daughters Sarah (husband: Ed; children: Hannah, Kayla) and Maya (husband: Paul; children: Aiden, Kai), his mother Pat, brother Peter, and by extended family in the United States and Japan. He will also be deeply missed by his close friend Danika and by his many other friends. He was predeceased by his wife Chikako and his father Roby.

Born in Seattle, Paul had an abiding curiosity about nature, and his working life was focused on science.  He completed a PhD in physics at the University of Victoria in 1981 and subsequently joined the research group in high energy physics there.  He spent the next 40 years at UVic as a Research Associate, including many working visits to the international research facility at CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research) in Geneva, Switzerland. He cherished the many friendships that he developed with his coworkers throughout his career.

Paul met life with a droll sense of humour, attention to detail and an inquisitive mind. Most of all, he will be remembered for his love of the outdoors, whether hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, camping, or kayaking, and for his extensive knowledge of local history and culture.  In his retirement, he enjoyed spending time on Saturna Island watching the marine life. He taught us to appreciate and protect the natural beauty that surrounds us.

Paul’s family and friends wish to express their gratitude to friend Dr. Karin Blouw, the Community caregivers, the BC Cancer Agency, and the Palliative Response Team of Victoria Hospice.  Our gratitude is multiplied ten-fold for these caregivers who ensured that even in a health pandemic, Paul received such compassionate support in his last days.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Paul’s memory to the Saturna Island Marine Research and Education Society (SIMRES) https://www.saturnamarineresearch.ca/visit-us or to a charity of your choice. In keeping with his wishes, there will be no service, however, a remembrance video will be shared with close family and friends at a future date.

Condolences may be offered to the family below.

McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com