PHOENIX, NY – Paul Charles Litchison, 88, of Phoenix, died Saturday February 28, 2015, in St. Joseph’s Hospital, Syracuse, after a long illness.
He was born on May 19, 1926, son of Paul Charles and Josephine E. Litchison (nee Whitecotton {Wirt}.
He spent his early childhood in Syracuse and high schools in Liverpool.
Paul joined the Boy Scouts in 1939, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout in 1943.
He was a U. S. Army veteran and served in Italy at the very end of World War II.
A huge fan of the Big Bands of the 1940s, he greatly enjoyed events at Drumlins and at the Persian Terrace of Hotel Syracuse.
Paul married Alma Jean Hill on October 21, 1950, at the First United Methodist Church on West Genesee Street, Syracuse.
They moved to Phoenix in 1954 where they raised four children, Louis, Charles, Becky and Bonnie.
Paul worked for Allied Chemical at Solvay Process as a lab technician from 1949 to 1981.
He was assistant and Scoutmaster for 40 years with Boy Scout Troop 20.
He was a member of the Phoenix United Methodist Church, the Kananake Canoe Club, the Joy Germ Club and the Phoenix Village Players theatrical group.
He donated well over ten gallons of blood to the American Red Cross over his lifetime.
Paul loved family vacations camping in the Adirondacks with his home-made camper, and later at Camp Litchhaven.
He loved music and played the ukulele and recorder instruments.
After retiring, Paul made and played a broom-handle wash-tub bass with the “Chuckles ‘n’ Tunes,” performing hundreds of times at area VFW’s senior facilities and social venues for more than 20 years.
His friend, and radio personality, Phil Market, dubbed him “Hot Tub Paul!”
Reading, doing the daily word scramble and writing rhyming poems were his lifelong passions.
Paul was predeceased by his wife of 45 years, Jean, (12/24/1995); his son, Charles (7/16/1990); and a brother-in-law, Rev. Irving G. Hill (6/10/2010).
Surviving are his son, Louis and Krista Litchison (nee Sweetser) of Manlius; two daughters, Becky Betts of Baldwinsville and Bonnie Litchison of Oswego; daughter-in-law, Diane Litchison-Kuzio (nee Reitz) of Fulton; sister-in-law, Marcia Hill (nee Coons) of Syracuse; eight grandchildren, Aaron Litchison of Manlius, Stephanie (Betts) and Miller Young of Delmar, NY, Katherine Betts of Hartford, Conn.., Erica (Betts) and David Smith of Baldwinsville, Amy (Litchison) and Brian DeMott of Fulton, Jeffrey and Cory (Greenwood) Litchison of Fulton, Teresa (Litchison) and Carlos Cruz-Tejeda of Hawaii and Jaielle Litchison of Oswego; 10 great-grandchildren, Emma Litchison, Mya, Sawyer and Macy Young, Charlotte Smith, Kayleigh, Skylar, Piper and Aubrie Litchison, and Athena DeMott.
Calling hours will be at the Allanson-Glanville-Tappan Funeral Home, Phoenix, on Monday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m.
Services will be at the funeral home on Tuesday at 11 a.m.
Contributions to: American Red Cross in Paul’s Memory.
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Lou: sorry to hear of your loss. 88 years may be a long life, but also more people to miss you when your time comes. Hope he left you a lot of memories, and of course, your family can encircle you and help you at this time. Condolences to Aaron and Krista, too.
Debbie
Time Books