Paul Pate Gordy, 93, of Chipley, departed on his final mission on February 7, 2016 after a brief illness. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am CST, Saturday, February 13, 2015 at Chipley First United Methodist Church. Visitation will be held at 10:00 am CST at the John Wesley building at the First United Methodist Church.

Paul was born April 15, 1922, at Cusseta, GA to the late Curt and Verna Gordy. His family moved to Florida in 1925, finally settling in Gainesville, where he finished high school and began college at the University of Florida. In early 1942, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was trained as a B17 pilot. He served in the 8th Air Force with the 384th Heavy Bombardment Group, based in England. Shot down and taken prisoner on his 8th Mission in July, 1943, he was sent to Stalag Luft III at Sagan, Germany. Nine months later, his brother Leonard joined him and they spent the final year of the war as POWs together until being liberated in April, 1945. His medals included a Purple Heart and the Prisoner of War and Air Medals.

Paul returned to the U.S. in 1945 and entered the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, graduating in 1947. During his collegiate career, Gordy boxed in the bantam weight division for UNC.
Moving to Chipley in 1948, he met Ann Sheppard on a blind date. They married that Christmas and their love story lasted 65 years. Paul and Leonard owned Gordy Milling Company for many years before combining forces with the Dixie Lily Company. Paul also became a salesman for McCormick & Company, and enjoyed a highly successful career even though he declined numerous promotions because of his desire to stay in Chipley. McCormick named him Salesman of the Year in 1973. He also served with the City Councilman for the city of Chipley in the early 1960s.

Paul was actively involved in the Chipley First United Methodist Church and served on numerous administrative committees as well as a lay minister. He also became known to many as the "Voice of the Tigers," announcing CHS Tiger football games from 1951 to 1991, and was active in the Chipley Lions Club. For many years, he worked as a volunteer with the Panhandle Area Education Consortium (PAEC), interviewing fellow veterans about their experiences, assembling a rich treasury of oral histories. Paul was also major player in getting the Veterans Day celebration programs established in the Washington County school system.

Paul was a lifelong athlete who excelled at tennis, golf, horseshoes and slow pitch softball. He never met a stranger, but to his family he was just "Big Gator." He was known throughout his life as being charming, talkative and incredibly feisty, and one of his favorite retirement activities was getting together for morning coffee at the "therapy table". Paul and Ann lived life to the fullest and travelled extensively throughout the United States and abroad.
In addition to his parents, Paul was preceded in death by his wife, Ann, brother, Leonard, nephew, Greg Booth and his great nephew Travis Booth. He is survived by one daughter, Paula (Skip) Cook of Tallahassee, son, Steve (Ruth) Gordy of Aiken, SC, one grandson, Casey (Shaunna) Cook of Tallahassee. He is also survived by two sisters-in-law, Sarah (Ormond) Booth of Cary, NC, Molly Gordy of Gainesville, niece, Elizabeth (Chuck) Coley of Jacksonville, great nephews, Tyler and Troy Booth of Glastonbury, CT.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the First United Methodist Church of Chipley Sanctuary Renovation Fund or the Clifford Chester Sims State Veterans' Nursing Home/Friends of Sims Fund.