SEYMOUR, INDIANA
Mr. Paul Arthur Fleming, of Seymour, passed away on December 28 at Lutheran Community Home.
He was born on November 1, 1937, in Milan, Indiana, to the late Harry L. and Ella L (Parson) Fleming.
He was a member of Central Christian Church and also had memberships with American Legion in Versailles and Masonic Lodge Free & Accepted Masons 31 in Versailles. Paul was honorably discharged after six years of service from the U.S. Air Force.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Nancy Fleming; two children, Amy (Tony) McAllister and Marty (Jessica) Fleming; four grandchildren, Owen and Reid McAllister and Audrey and Guy Fleming; and brother, William Fleming.
Paul was a builder of buildings and connections with family and friends from his hometown, his school experiences, his work career, and his many travels. He received his undergraduate degree in Parks and Recreation from Purdue University and a master’s degree from Indiana University.
While at Purdue, Paul met his wife Nancy Martin on a blind date. After dating for seven years, they were married on August 4, 1964.
They adopted their two children. Paul and Nancy visited with family as much as possible as Paul loved to see his four grandchildren, all of whom live in Minnesota. Paul and his older brother, Bill, continued to meet and reminisce throughout the years. He and Nancy also remained close with her extended family with whom they spent many holidays over the years.
Paul had a great sense of humor; as fun and laughter were ways he brought people together to enjoy one another. He kidded everyone he came into contact with and enjoyed preparing and eating food with friends. Paul was known for his famous chili, which appeared at numerous IU vs. Purdue tailgates and church events. He enjoyed giving of his time playing Santa for friends and residents of the Anchor House homeless shelter. Paul regularly attended reunions from his small-town high school and enjoyed retelling stories with his friends.
Travel was another way Paul built connections with family and friends. He loved camping in Gnaw Bone, Indiana, and Canada.
His trips to Alaska, including one where he and Nancy drove from Seymour to Alaska to spend three months seeing the sights, were among his favorite travels. Fishing trips with his brother and rafting through the Grand Canyon multiple times were other highlights. Paul enjoyed trying foods from other cultures and he was able to sample foods from many of the countries in Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico and the US. These travels culminated in memories and stories he loved sharing.
Work was another major contributor to Paul’s building experiences. He started his career in construction and development working for the Indianapolis Public Housing Authority where he led the development of a 21-story high rise in Indianapolis. He was especially proud of the Indiana National Bank building project, as he came into the project midway and finished on time and within budget, while simultaneously working on projects from Lowell, Indiana to Florida. He built the first nine-story precast concrete apartment buildings for the elderly in Cincinnati and designed the Snyde Acres Subdivision in Seymour. He later bought and ran ALJAX Chemical Company in Seymour for 10 years. After going back to construction and development, he retired from the John C Groub Co., where he played a hand in expanding stores throughout southern Indiana.
Funeral services will be held at Voss & Sons Funeral Service on Wednesday, January 3 at 11 am with Rev. Ben Yee officiating. Family and friends may call at Voss & Sons Funeral Service on Tuesday from 4-8 pm and on Wednesday from 10 am until time of service. A Masonic service will be conducted on Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m.
Memorials may be written to Central Christian Church or MDS Foundation (for Myelodysplastic Syndrome research), in care of Voss & Sons Funeral Service.
Online condolences may be given on the funeral home website at www.vossfuneralservice.com.
