September 4, 1949 – November 4, 2024

On November 4th, 2024 Paul Sullivan passed away in Chico, California. He was 75 years old.

Paul was born in Berkeley, California in 1949. When he was 9 years old his parents, Tim and Catherine Sullivan, made the move to Squaw Valley to assist with the upcoming Olympic Games, a move that would shape Paul’s life forever. He embraced life in Olympic Valley and later Tahoe City, where he raised his family, and cultivated lifelong passions for skiing, ice skating and rock climbing.

Paul graduated from Truckee High in 1967, but proudly called Tahoe City home. After high school Paul joined the Squaw Valley Ski Patrol for a few seasons, forming lifelong friendships in the Valley. He embraced the mountain life, playing broomball for the Squaw Valley Chiefs, rock climbing in Yosemite, working for Perata Excavation and meeting his future wife, Rena Francovich.

Paul and Rena were married in 1975. Their family grew with the birth of daughter, Chelsea in 1978, and son, Marco, in 1980. They built a home in Ward Canyon, with the helping hands of many friends. With loud classic rock always playing, Paul outfitted the house with a horseshoe pit, badminton court, archery range, and a huge treetop swing that was legendary in the neighborhood. Paul displayed his green thumb with a yearly harvest of fruits and vegetables from the garden, showing his dedication and stubbornness, in battling the short growing season. His biggest chore was gathering and splitting firewood. He constructed “the perfect wood pile” which held 7 cords of wood that he burnt each winter. When the house was sold Paul was delighted to note that the gas line to the furnace had never been turned on.

Paul spent 40 years in the excavation trade and was a proud member of the Operating Engineers Union. He was as hard-working as they come, known as a skilled operator and dependable year around. He sacrificed powder skiing for plowing snow and fondly remembered the families along his route who would greet him with a warm drink or a snack in the early hours of the morning.

Paul was a devoted father. Providing for his family and witnessing the accomplishments of his children gave him great joy. Watching Chelsea graduate with honors from Montana State University, and seeing Marco compete in the Olympics for ski racing were benchmarks for his success as a parent.

Eventually Paul moved to the foothills for a gentler climate. He bought a property in Forest Ranch, above Chico, and again put his woodsman skills to work by turning a dense forest into a nice retirement retreat. He had finally expended all of his energy and spent many of his later years with his nose in a book, cheering on one of his beloved San Francisco sports teams.

Paul joins his parents and brother, Mark, on the other side. He is survived by his sister Laura Weare (Bill Weare). Daughter, Chelsea Robinson (Trevor Robinson). Son, Marco Sullivan (Anna Sullivan). Grandsons, Dash and Keegan. Niece, Cara Weare and nephew, Paul Weare.