Paul Joseph Fair

Paul Joseph Fair, 68, of Spring Hill, Kansas went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, April 2, 2023. Paul was born to Clarence and Elizabeth Fair on July 29, 1954, in South Bend, Indiana. Paul, born minutes after his twin brother Peter, was the fifth of six children. He was a 2 ½ pound surprise, as his mother did not know she was carrying twins. She called him her "Miracle Boy."

Paul's lifelong passion was music and he was an avid fan of Elvis Presley. He purchased a guitar at a pawn shop at the age of 13 and began teaching himself to sing and play by listening to a record player. Paul went to high school in Wayland, Michigan, where he was a standout wrestler. After high school Paul moved to Florida and started pursuing his dream of performing music in bars and nightclubs.

One night not long after seeing the movie, The Exorcist, Paul woke up in the middle of the night and gave his life to Christ. A week later, Paul enrolled at the nearby Hobe Sound Bible College in Hobe Sound, Florida. While traveling the country with the college's singing quartet, he met his future wife, Patricia Cunard, in Missouri Valley, Iowa. She ended up attending the college as well, and they were married on June 16, 1979. While at Hobe Sound, Paul earned Bachelor's degrees in Ministerial Studies and Music Education. Afterward Paul and wife Patricia moved to the Kansas City area, where Paul completed Master's degrees in voice and classical guitar at the UMKC Conservatory.

After finishing college, Paul and his family remained in the Kansas City area, where Paul taught music for several area Christian schools, as well as private lessons. In addition to the guitar, Paul was able to master a variety of different instruments, including the harp, piano, violin, banjo, drums, mandolin, and many others. He always loved to perform, and one of his favorite things was putting Scripture to music.

Paul was a devoted husband and father, and loved spending time with his wife and two children, Christopher and Chelsea. He also loved to paint and work with his hands, and could tinker with and fix almost anything. His projects included painting houses in the summer, fixing cars and household appliances, building props and sewing costumes and painting sets for school musicals, along with building harps and many other woodworking projects.

He was preceded in death by parents Clarence and Elizabeth, and brothers John, Phillip, and his twin brother Peter. He is survived by his wife Patricia, son Christopher, daughter in law Lacey, and daughter Chelsea, as well as his sister, Mary Zokoe, and brother, Daniel Fair. He also leaves behind 25 nieces and nephews, and 30 great-nieces and nephews.

Paul was deeply loved by his family and a multitude of friends and former music students and will be greatly missed. They can now rejoice that he is home and in the presence of the Lord and look forward to being reunited with him in Heaven one day.