Paul A. Raech
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Paul A. Raech, age 84, of Earleville, MD, passed away on Sunday, July 31, 2022. Born on March 5, 1938
in Upper Darby, PA to the late Charles and Ruth Sturges Raech. Paul was one of six children and at age nine his family moved from PA to Hacks Point, then to West View Shores in Earleville, MD. From the time he was young Paul had a passion for the outdoors. From family trips to Wildwood N.J., to volleyball, waterskiing, crabbing, fishing and hunting. In their early teens he and his brother William would get up at 4:30, run their trap lines, eat breakfast, then along with their siblings would walk the 3 1/2 miles from West View Shores to the start of Pond Neck Road to catch the school bus. It was a dirt road and sometimes they would catch rides on the milk truck. He was a Boy Scout achieving the rank of assistant Scoutmaster and on his way to obtaining Eagle Scout when the troop disbanded. He was also a member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Chapel in Cecilton where he was an altar boy. Paul worked with his father growing up, learning the skills of carpenter and mason, he later worked with him in the summers and after High School at Short & Walls Lumber Company in Middletown De. These skills would be invaluable to him the rest of his life.
In 1958 Paul was in the last class to graduate from what is now Cecilton Elementary school. The elementary was on the First floor and High School on the second floor. Along with doing academically well, he was a champion chess player and ran track. After graduation Paul and his brother William joined the National Guard in Middletown, DE. Paul was later discharged due to a heart murmur.
Paul worked for Thiokol Chemical Corporation in Elkton MD from 1963 until 1973. During his time at Thiokol Paul worked in the Aerospace division working on Rocket motors and Boosters used during the Apollo missions, rising to a supervisory position. In 1962 Paul met his future wife Barbara at the Bowling alley in Elkton. They married on April 11, 1964 in the North East Methodist Church and moved to Bay View Estates in Earleville. It was while residing there that two daughters were born; Paula in 1964 and Donna in 1967. While working at Thiokol Paul was also property manager for Bay View Estates and a security guard for West View Shores during the mid 1960's. Additionally, Paul fished the Chesapeake Bay and put in Septic lines to make extra money. In 1973, Paul took the position of Farm Manager in Earleville MD for Alonzo G. Decker of Black & Decker, managing his three Earleville farms. Paul and his family moved to one of the farms located on Grove Neck Road where they have resided since. This was the job of his dreams and although he put in long days and was on call 24/7 over the next twenty-nine years, he loved his work and took great pride in the many aspects of the job. A jack of all trades, he put many of his skills to use with help from first William Hessey and later Tim Cunningham in farming and maintaining the upkeep on the three farms. They also raised, banded and released mallard ducks every year for Mr. Decker. Paul was also Mr. Decker's hunting guide for his many friends and business associates on their hunting excursions. From 1978 to the late 80's Paul and family were also well known for the Goose/Duck picking business they ran during hunting season. Paul and Barbara along with in-laws Jean and Bill Racine bowled for years in the Sunday Night Twilight League at Elk(Cecil) Lanes. Known as the "Four R's" they were consistently First Place champs. They also enjoyed many vacations with them and their children. Paul and his family traveled to Ocean City; Disney World; the New England states; Virginia; Myrtle Beach, and Ocracoke N.C.
Over the years while his wife Barbara took care of running the house, garden, and girls, Paul instilled in both of his daughters a love for the land and outdoors. Paul and his daughter Donna were especially involved in 4-H and raising a champion steer for the County Fair. They also enjoyed horseback riding together along with several neighbors including close friends the Millers. Daughter Paula worked alongside him running equipment and building things. They both pitched in with raising all the animals, helping in the fields and in the daily running of the farm. His wife Barbara, daughter Paula, son-in-law Scott and grandson Trevor shared his love for hunting. Paul loved to play jokes on Scott in the beginning of their relationship, but came to love him like a son, respecting and relying on him greatly as the years went by. Paul carried on his love of the outdoors with all five grandchildren and four great grandchildren, topping it off with buying every sled imaginable. He loved watching them grow and participate in their many interests and it brought him great joy to see them happy and successful in whatever they were doing. Over the years family and friends have enjoyed picnics, sledding/ice skating parties, the Halloween parties and other gatherings at the farm which he loved to set up and participate in. Paul's favorite being the obstacle course/hayride picnic. Paul and neighbor Ronny Miller were also well known for snow plowing the roads all over lower Cecil County during major snowstorms for over thirty years. It helped that Paul liked to "play" in the snow. He was a past member of the Cecilton Volunteer Fire Company and the Upper Bay Ruritan. Paul and Barbara were members of Farm Bureau. Paul was the Chairman of the Board of the Cecil Soil Conservation District for 29 years, from 1983 to 2012. He enjoyed his time spent as Chairman and the many people he got to know there.
Paul and Barbara won Farm Bureau "Farm Couple of the Year" in 1994. From the Cecil Soil Conservation District Paul accepted the Outstanding Cooperator of the Year in the 1980's on Mr. Decker's behalf for the three farms. Then Paul himself received the Outstanding Cooperator of the Year in 2013.
He was the first in the area to implement several soil erosion prevention methods and through the Soil Conservation District he hosted yearly conservation tours at the farms of Mr. Decker. Farmers observed many conservation methods as their benefits became known.
In his later years he enjoyed riding in his camouflage off-road vehicle and "checking things out on the farm". Time with all of the hunters was always special to him and a time he looked forward to each year. As the years have gone by, Paul and life-long family & friends; his brother William, Bryon Boyd, Bill Pearce, Skip Cross and the men from New Jersey, have shared his passion for hunting and enjoyed years of good times. The friends he's made and hunted with in recent years have been special to him also, Ricky Craig, Bruce Yerkes and Brian Triantafillos have enabled him to add to his collection of stories. It was during a time in 2009 that Paul took the trip of his lifetime to Utah to hunt Elk with friend and fellow hunter Matt Hicken. He had the time of his life on that successful hunt and enjoyed seeing another part of the country. Paul became obsessed with his two poker nights and enjoyed the friends he made there. He also enjoyed Saturday night cards with family, finally having the time to watch sports and doing little chores around the farm with his great grandsons. His love for the farm was only surpassed by his love for his family and friends. Paul met many people and acquired many friends over the last 84 years and he was always there to listen, lend a hand to any family, friend or neighbor that needed it and he will be greatly missed by all.
Paul is survived by his wife Barbara of 58 years. Daughters; Paula Raech of Earleville; Donna Craig and husband Scott of Earleville. Grandchildren, Sabrina Eveland and husband Buddy of Earleville; Trevor Craig and wife Marsha of Earleville; Raechel Martin(Justin) of Philadelphia PA; Alexandra Craig(Kris) of Conowingo and Savana Craig(Ryan)of Earleville. Four great grandchildren: Ronnie, Adam and Chloe Eveland and Kira Craig whom he adored. One brother, William Raech of Earleville; Sisters, Ruth Pouska of Millington, MD; Kay Long of Galena, MD; Patricia Raech of Felton, DE. In-laws, Jean and Bill Racine; Betty Noel; Darlene Gatchell; Roger and Rosemary Gatchell. 11 nieces and 9 nephews and many great nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, Paul was preceded in death by his brother, Robert Raech; brother-in-laws Jerry Pouska; Earl Gatchell; Robert Gatchell; Jack Noel, Sonny Long & Jim Andrews. Sisters-in-law Shirley Andrews and Norma Gatchell.
Funeral Service will be held at Galena Funeral Home of Stephen L. Schaech, Galena MD., on Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at 11:00 am. A visitation will be on Monday, August 8, 2022 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Interment will be at St. Stephens Episcopal Church Cemetery, Earleville, immediately following the services.