Paul Stephen Ingram died at North Cascades Health and Rehabilitation Center in Bellingham on October 19, 2020 after an extended illness. He was 79.
Paul was born April 13, 1941, Easter Sunday, in Oakland, California to Winston S. and Elinor (Joyce) Ingram.
He graduated from El Cerrito Senior High and then studied mechanical engineering at California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, California from 1959 to 1960 before serving in the US Air Force from 1960 to 1964 as a mechanic specializing in nuclear weapons. He returned to CPSU again from 1965 to 1966.
Paul married Barbara Lynn Trafton in 1969 in Watsonville, California and they made their home in Salinas, California. They raised two sons, Andrew and Jonathan.
After they were married, Paul worked with Barbara’s dad growing lettuce in Watsonville.
In 1970, he joined Des Moines Steel providing quality assurance of the welding of #18 reinforcing bar or “rebar” used in the containment structure at the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant in San Luis Obispo County, California.
He owned O.K. Auto Upholstery in the mid-1970’s and later worked as an electrical and mechanical engineer for Simplot Foods in Salinas, California.
In the 1990s he was employed by the Sonoma County Water Agency to maintain their pumps on the Russian River and later joined Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery and Associated Vintage Group to maintain their bottling lines.
In 1975, he joined Texas Lodge #46 F&AM, a Masonic lodge in San Juan Bautista, California and was installed as Master of the Lodge in 1983. He became Inspector of the 132nd Masonic District of Grand Lodge of California where he oversaw 5 lodges, guiding them through the ritual and floor work for the different degrees from 1996 to 2004. Paul was also a member of Scottish Rite, serving as master of all 4 bodies. He was a 33rd degree Mason, the highest honor Masonry has has to offer.
In 2006, Paul and Barbara moved to Ferndale, Washington.
Paul was elected to serve 2 terms on the Ferndale City Council from 2008 to 2015.
Cooking was a lifelong hobby that Paul thoroughly enjoyed and it started at the age of 9. He attended the Culinary Institute of America at Napa, CA from 1974 to 1976. His grandfather ran a restaurant in upstate New York and made Paul promise never to open a restaurant. Paul kept his promise and, instead, organized many wonderful fundraiser feasts for organizations in need over the years.
Paul was an active volunteer in the Ferndale area.
- Past President, Ferndale Kiwanis Club,
- Commander, Kulshan Post #154 American Legion
- Board Member / Executive Chef, Ferndale Community Meal
- Ferndale Dollars for Scholars board member and chef for their Annual Shrimp Dinner Fundraiser
- Volunteer Driver, Whatcom County Veterans Services
- Ferndale Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year 2008 & 2012
- Served as a volunteer Ferndale Police Senior Citizens on Patrol Enhancement (SCOPE) Officer
Paul was an expert marksman and lifetime member of the National Rifle Association. In addition, he was an avid bicyclist and participated in many century rides over the years, riding an average of 20,000 miles per year.
Paul and Barbara celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2019 by driving in their beloved 2014 Tesla Model S to a dinner cruise on the Columbia River, on to Ferndale, California and then back to Leavenworth, Washington.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Andrew, and a sister, Beverly. He is survived by Barbara, a son, Jonathon, a brother, Earl, and a sister, Margaret.
Submitted by Barb Ingram
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