Paul B. Lapham

November 2, 1929 - May 8, 2020

Paul B. Lapham, age 90, of Clare, passed away on Friday, May 8, 2020 at his home in Clare, Michigan. His story is long and eventful. Following is a brief synopsis of his life story. 1930s – The Survival Years Paul Bernard Lapham is born November 2nd, 1929 to Alger and Ruth Wernette Lapham in Lansing, Michigan. He is their first child; the first of ten children! Shortly thereafter, the “Great Depression” starts and Alger loses his job at the Oldsmobile automobile plant. The family moves back to the family farm in Remus, Michigan, but the farm can’t support the addition of the young family. Alger, Ruth, and baby Paul move to Mt. Pleasant, where they secure a tent and pitch it in Nelson Park. The park, located on the Chippewa River near the Railroad Station, is a “tent city” for those adversely impacted by the failing economy. While Alger looks for work, they get meat and potatoes from the farm and pick up coal along the railroad tracks to cook and keep warm. Alger finds work at the PWA and the young family moves to an apartment on Andre Street near Kinney School. Paul starts school in 1933 and the family moves again, to 914 E. Chippewa Street, where they have a large garden, can vegetables, and still have enough vegetables left over to sell to more affluent households. Paul is fired from his first job, pulling weeds in a neighbor’s garden, when he pulls the carrots instead! Paul gets a paper route when he is in sixth grade and brings the profits home. All members of the family contribute to the family coffers. 1940s – The Formative Years When a fire destroys the adjacent apartment, the family is forced to spend the winter in a garage across the street belonging to their neighbor, Mr. Miranda. During this time, they build a house at 1104 E. Chippewa Street. On December 7th, 1941 the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. Paul and Darcy sell many “Extra” papers at the corner of Broadway and Mission. The era of rationing and “Brown Outs” (i.e. no lights to be shown after dark that might give enemy bombers a target) begins. Paul volunteers for Civil Defense and serves as a spotter for enemy planes that might fly over. Everyone does their part! 1943: Paul starts High School at Sacred Heart Academy. He studies physics and geometry in preparation for engineering in college. 1947: Paul graduates from High School, works the summer for a construction company, and starts college at the University of Detroit. He occasionally hitch-hikes the 150 miles back and forth from school to home. 1948: Summer. Paul and Bob Wohlscheid hitch-hike to California to work in the orchards and a cannery in Sunnyvale, outside of San Francisco. In September, he heads back to college. His summer wages almost cover his college expenses; Darcy’s paper route money helps cover the rest. 1949: Summer. Paul and Joe Johnston work on a survey crew for John P. Goggins Engineering Company in Clare. Little does Paul know that this will be a key influence in his life’s work. In the Fall, Joe goes back to college at Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant and Paul accepts a job for Goggins to head up a survey crew in the Florida Keys. It so happens that Elva Lea McIntosh, who does drafting and computations for Goggins, also accepts the opportunity to go to the Keys. The beginning of a long career, and, as you will see – a long and wonderful marriage! 1950s – The Startup Years Since Paul has neither a car nor the money to buy one, Alger gives Paul his prized Buick Roadster. Paul drives to Marathon, in the Florida Keys, where he works for about four years with a native Floridian, Gene Menendez, developing the Marathon Key Resort area. 1952: It almost seems inevitable, Paul and Elva Lea are married on February 10th, 1952. 1953: March 19. In the early morning hours Paul and Elva Lea drive at breakneck speed to the Key West, Florida hospital. The doctor arrives just in time to welcome Angela Ann Lapham, a six-pound twelve-ounce girl, into the world. The Lapham Family is now a reality. 1954: Paul, Elva Lea, and Angela move to Flint, Michigan where Paul gets a job working for West Engineering. On April 29th, Timothy Lynn Lapham joins the family! 1955: Paul becomes licensed as a Land Surveyor in both Florida and Michigan. 1956: The family moves to Clare Michigan, where Paul starts his own business, Lapham and Associates. The first office is located on Elva Lea’s parent’s farm on Maple Road. On April 16th, Sue Ann Lapham becomes part of the family! 1957: Paul is appointed Clare County Surveyor. He is re-elected many times and holds that office until his death 63 years later! July 3rd the Lapham Clan celebrates the Nation’s birthday a day early, welcoming Mary Ann Lapham to the world! 1958: Paul is elected Secretary of the Northern Chapter of the Michigan Society of Registered Land Surveyors (MSRLS). The start of a long career that goes from local to state to national to international! 1960s and 1970s – The Business Years Paul is active in civic affairs, serving as the President of Kiwanis, Chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals, member of the Industrial Development Committee, and member of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Paul is active in the acquisition of funds, the design, approval, and construction stakeout and supervision of the Brookwood Park Athletic Complex. 1960: The family moves to 310 W. Wheaton Avenue in Clare and relocates the surveying office to the rear of the house. This allows Elva Lea to be the secretary and help with computations as well as be a mother and housewife. September 29th their fifth child, Beth Ann Lapham greets the world for the first time! 1963: August 18th the Lapham family welcomes Lisa Ann Lapham into the world! 1970s and 1980s – The Professional Association Years In 1974 the Michigan State Legislature passes a new law which requires surveyors to have a B.S. Degree in Surveying prior to taking the examination for licensure. Paul is active in serving as a member of the Surveying Curriculum Advisory Committee at Ferris State University. Paul is elected President of the Michigan Society of Registered Land Surveyors (MSRLS) and is the Michigan Representative to the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM). He takes an active role in the Surveying Division of ACSM and is soon elected Member of the Board of Directors. As such, he is active in the re-organization of ACSM and becomes the founding president of the newly formed National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS). He is an active member and chair of the Council on Federal Procurement of Architectural and Civil Engineers (COFPACE). As chair of COFPACE, Paul serves as head of the U.S. Delegation to the International Association of Surveyors (FIG). He attends FIG meetings in numerous countries beginning with Japan, followed by Germany, Norway, Finland, Poland, New Zealand, and others. Mid 1990s – Time to Slow Down Paul and Elva Lea start to spend a few weeks each year in Punta Gorda Florida at the mobile home Elva Lea’s mother, Elizabeth McIntosh owns in the Lazy Lagoon Mobile Home Park. In 1996, they retire and spend the winter at Lazy Lagoon. In 1999, Lazy Lagoon is offered for sale. Paul is part of the committee that studies the feasibility of purchasing the park to make it resident-owned. He serves on the first Board of Directors for the new organization. The Twenty-First Century – Can’t Stay Idle Very Long 2002: Paul is elected President of the Lazy Lagoon Home Owners’ Association and appoints a friend, Zita Coburn, as chair of the finance committee. Paul and Elva Lea sell their first mobile and move to a mobile on Shell Creek in Lazy Lagoon. 2004: Hurricane Charley make an abrupt turn down the Peace River and destroys over half of the Lazy Lagoon mobiles. Paul is highly involved in the clean-up and restoration of the park. 2006: Lazy Lagoon needs a new sewage collection system. Guess who spearheads the study, design, and construction? Paul works with Zita Coburn and the finance committee to determine the financial plan for the payment of the project. Paul stays on as a member of the committee. 2012: Elva Lea, the love of Paul’s life, his help-mate, companion, best friend, mother of his six children, and wife, passes away suddenly on Sunday morning, August 19, 2012. The marriage lasted sixty years, six months, and nine days. Paul is devastated. 2013: Angela Ann, Paul and Elva Lea’s oldest daughter, suffers a series of debilitating health problems and Paul helps care for her until she passes away on April 25th. Again, Paul is devastated. 2017: Paul and Zita Coburn have been friends since 2002 when Zita and her husband Don move to Lazy Lagoon. Don passes away only a couple of months after Elva Lea passes. Zita and Paul continue working on the Finance Committee and in 2015 Paul asks Zita to accompany him to a luncheon with several friends. Paul thinks the group will meet at the Crab Shack in Punta Gorda. There is some confusion, however and their friends are at the Crab Shack in Ellington, about sixty miles away! Paul and Zita have their first “date” together. The rest is history; Paul and Zita are married July 22, 2017 in Zita’s home town of Minnetonka, Minnesota. November 2, 2019 – The Beginning Of The Rest Of His Life! Paul has led an eventful life! A great party is held celebrating his life. If you ask him, he will tell you he is the luckiest man that has ever lived and that he has accumulated a vast storehouse of treasures! It consists of his wife, Elva Lea, his six children, his children’s spouses, his eight grandchildren and their spouses, his eight great-grandchildren, his new wife Zita, his five sisters and four brothers, and a host of relatives, co-workers, professional colleagues, friends, and the love and memories they have given him! May 8, 2020 – The passing of a Great man! Paul returned from Florida to his long-time home in Clare, Michigan to try and regain his health. He only lasted a few weeks until he was taken to the afterlife ending his life here on earth. At his passing he was surrounded by several of his family members, who offered prayers and songs to help in the passing! Paul was 90 years, 6 months and 6 days old! Paul is survived by his wife Zita. Also surviving are his children, Tim (Jackie Kammezell) Lapham of Clare, Sue Lapham of Clare, Mary (Mike) Hales of Farwell, Beth (Randy) Elinski of Jackson, MI, Lisa (Steve) Thorburn of Morrisville, NC, Eight Grandchildren, Jason, Heather (Chris), Adam (Melody), Brian (Morgan), Jordan (Nasim), Trevor (Emma) , Meagan, and Adriane, Eight Great Grandchildren, Jacob, James, Jaelee, Jaxon, McKayla, Ryann, Brianna and Lily, and his siblings, Darcy Lapham, Clair (Margaret) Lapham, Dave (Sue) Lapham, Rita Poston, Jean (Ron) Cauwenbergh, his brother-in-law, Ray Szumski and sister-in-law Nancy Lapham. Along with a host of other nieces, nephews, cousins and other family members. Paul was preceded in death by his Parents, his wife of 60 years Elva Lea, his daughter Angela, brother, Larry, and sisters, Sandra Lapham, Virginia (John) Krabbenhoft and Lorena Szumski. Because of the Current Orders for mitigating the Covid -19 virus, Paul will be buried in the St. Cecilia Cemetery of the Our Lady of Hope Parish in a privately held graveside ceremony for his family. Memorial donations in honor of Paul may be directed to the Our Lady of Hope Parish, 106 E. Wheaton Ave., Clare, Mi., 48617. Arrangements were by the Stephenson-Wyman Funeral Home in Clare.