Paul "Buzz" Rehm

Longtime Abilene resident Paul Edwards Rehm passed away on June 8, 2011. A service is scheduled for 10:00 am Tuesday June 14, 2011 at Piersall Benton Funeral Home, 733 Butternut St with the burial to follow at Elmwood Memorial Park. A visitation will be held Monday evening from 5-7 pm at the funeral home.

Paul E. Rehm was born June 13, 1915, to William Eugene & Margaret Edwards Rehm in Chicago, Illinois. When he was 2 years old, the family moved to Kansas City where his father had been transferred by Schulz Baking Company. After four years in Kansas City, his father moved the family to Decatur, Ill to go into the baking business for himself. While in Decatur, Paul sold magazines for the Curtis Publishing Co (Saturday Evening Post, 5 cents, Ladies Home Journal and Country Gentleman, 15 cents each). He also had a paper route with 80 customers that he home delivered seven days a week. His pay was 10 cents a week per customer.

The Rehm family moved to Abilene, Texas, in 1930, when Paul was 15 years old, where his father had his own bread-baking business. Paul graduated from Abilene High School in 1933. After high school graduation, Paul worked for Mead’s Foods, Inc. His food service career was interrupted by military service in WW II.

He joined the US Army Air Force in July 1942 and flew 28 missions over Europe with the 8th Air Force, as a navigator on a B-17. He was awarded a distinguished flying cross, an air medal (with four oak-leaf clusters). While in the service he was stationed in Nashville, TN, Monroe, LA, Alexandria, LA, Charleston, England, Monroe, LA instructors school, Albuquerque, NM, La Hacienda, CO, Victorville, CA, Mesa, AZ, Douglas, AZ. He also taught Chinese pilot trainee navigation in El Paso, TX. He met his beautiful future wife, June Turner, when he was stationed in Albuquerque, NM and while she was working for the Kirtland Air Base as a Civil Service employee. Paul and June were married on June 1, 1945, and were together for 66 great years. After WWII, Paul worked again for Mead’s Foods (subsequently Fehr Foods, Inc.) for 40 years in Abilene and San Angelo. Later he continued with Fehr Foods on a consulting bases for 11 more years.

Paul was a charter member of the San Angelo West Rotary Club. When he transferred from San Angelo to Abilene, he continued to contribute to various Rotary projects including winterizing low income homes and distributing US flags for commemorative displays on special holidays. Paul also volunteered faithfully on Monday mornings as a greeter at one of the Abilene Senior Centers. He and June were also active members of the Abilene Bible Church for many years.

Surviving Paul is his wife June and many extended family members and close friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings; Margaret Edwards Rehm, Willa Gene Shirley and Jane Edwards Rehm Dodge.

The family is very grateful to the Sears-Methodist Wesley Court and Sears - Methodist Hospice teams who cared for Paul, especially Jodi Humecky's dedication to making Paul as comfortable as possible during his last months.