Paul Wayne Walker

Paul Wayne Walker, 76, died peacefully at his home in Issaquah, Washington on January 26th. He was born on May 12, l941 to Wayne Walker and Ruth Cranstoun Walker in Princeton, New Jersey. His father, a graduate of the Princeton Theological Seminary, accepted a pastorate in Southern California in 1944. Paul graduated from Berkeley High School and attended San Francisco State University where he enrolled in the Army National Guard. In his teens, he started working for Vaughn's at Sather Gate in Berkeley sweeping floors and folding shirts eventually opening stores in Eugene and Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington. Paul married Mary Candice Stinghen in 1964 and had two children, Lael and Ryan. The family moved from Oregon to Northern California in 1970 and, in 1979, they became Supercuts franchisees opening their first of three stores in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1982, they opened their first of many stores in the greater Seattle Area.Paul was actively involved with the business until his death. During his lifetime, Paul was a boater, gardner, maker and flier of kites, beekeeper, baker and lover of wooden jigsaw puzzles--particularly Par Puzzles. He was passionate about wooden boats which led him to Lake Tahoe where he purchased and restored three successive wooden speedboats. His prize restoration was a 1940 Gar Wood, Leading Lady. He was Commodore of The Tahoe Yacht Club and President of The Antique and Classic Boat Society. He is survived by his wife, Susanne Flynn Walker; daughter, Lael Walker; son, Ryan Walker; brother, Jon Walker (Cindy); sister, Wink Jean (Jim); and his two stepsons, Stephen Reed (Melanie) and Christian Reed (Chrissy). Paul was a beloved grandfather to Jackson, Bailey, William, Skylar, Sydney, Maya and Brody. He will be remembered as a kind and generous man who made everyone "feel special". A celebration of his life will be held at a later date.