Paul Earl Packer

Memorial Services will be conducted for Paul Earl Packer at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 17, 2009 at Nelson Funeral Home, 162 East 400 North, Logan. He passed away at the age of 90 on December 23, 2008 in Logan of natural causes. Born June 22, 1918 in Ogden, Utah, he was the son of Leland Roy Packer and Janet Wilson Packer. As a youth, Paul was active in the Boy Scouts and became an Eagle Scout. He graduated from Ogden High School with academic honors in 1935 and then attended the University of California at Berkeley. He played varsity baseball for Cal, and served as president of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. He graduated with a degree in Forest Science in 1939. He then attended Syracuse University in pursuit of a Doctorate degree in Forest Science. This effort was cut short by World War II. As a reserve ROTC officer he was called into the war in 1941 and served in the Army Air Corps as a flight instructor and later as a B-29 pilot in the pacific theater against Japan. In 1942, while still in the Army Air Corps, Paul met and married Marion Jean Whitener. While in the Pacific theater he was the recipient of five Battle Stars; the Distinguished Flying Cross, Airman's Medal, Air Combat and WWII Victory Commendation. He finished his military career in 1945 on the staff of General Curtis E. LeMay. At the conclusion of the war, Paul went to work for the US Forest Service. In 1951, he returned to the University of California at Berkeley and completed a Masters degree in forest science. Throughout his career, he held numerous positions in forest and range research for the US Forest Service in Idaho City, Idaho, Boise, Idaho, Missoula, Montana and Logan, Utah. He concluded a distinguished 42 year career in 1980 as the Director's Representative for the Inter-mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station in Logan, Utah. Paul was an active skier, fisherman and hunter his entire life. He was a long time member in Logan Rotary and the American Legion. Paul was a Mason in good standing and a Past Master of Harmony Lodge #21 in Logan, Utah. He was a recipient of the prestigious Hyrum Abiff Award in Free Masonry. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a member of the Scottish Rite, the York Rite, the Knights Templar and the El Kalah Shrine. He served as the Associate Grand Guardian for Job's Daughters International. He was also the Associate Bethel Guardian for Job's Daughters Bethel 12, Logan. He was a Past Patron of the Order of the Eastern Star. Paul was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Logan. He greatly enjoyed reading Utah history and in particular, the study of his family's Utah history. He had fun sense of humor and always liked a good joke. He was an intelligent and caring person and he will be greatly missed. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Ruth Ludden. He is survived by his wife Jean Whitener Packer and his three children Susan J. Packer Howard, Bradford P. Packer Laurie, Roy C Packer Rebecca, nine grand children and nine great grand children. Contributions in lieu of flowers donations can be sent to Shriners' Hospital for Children SLC Fairfax Road and Virginia Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84103