Paul Wendell Hansen Highby

Paul Wendell Hansen Highby, age 79, of Mountain View, California, passed away on Saturday, July 27, 2024. A devoted husband, friend, and writer, Paul loved classical music, playing the piano, and being with family. He grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, where he lived until going to Gettysburg College and then Harvard University. Paul met his beloved wife, Marie, at Gettysburg, in 1967, and they married in 1971.

Paul and Marie moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1981. Although Paul’s diverse career took him from serving as an Air Force officer, to being a graduate student in English Literature, to working for Lockheed Martin in project scheduling, his true passion was poetry. His dry wit and keen observations of human nature found their way into his two books of poetry, Did You Expect Just the Usual Rose and Orchids and Fronds Not the Usual Rose.

Paul is survived by his wife, Marie, and his two nieces, Lexie Schmitt (Bill Galush) and Julia Schmitt (Diederik Marius) and their children, Lydia, Henry, Clara, Aurelia, Felix, and Freya. A memorial for Paul is planned for early 2025 to celebrate his life, his poetry, and his love of music.