Paul J. Simkin

Paul J. Simkin, 86, of Poplar Ridge, NY passed away on August 27, 2023, at Quaker worship. He was born on September 28, 1936, in Sherwood, a son of the late Chet and Clara (Jacobs) Simkin. Paul earned a B.S. from Clarkson. As an alternative to military service he drilled water wells in Mexico for two years with the American Friends Service Committee. In 1963, Paul completed his Master’s in Mechanical Engineering at Cornell, where he met Jane, and began work at Ingersoll-Rand. In 1969 he married Jane and became certified as a piano technician which was his career for 50 years.

Being self-employed gave Paul time for his family, his community, and the Poplar Ridge Quaker meeting where he was raised and served as treasurer for 40 years. Paul traveled with the meeting to their sister community in San Pedro, El Salvador, and to Mexico and Guatemala independently.

Paul’s dedication to Southern Cayuga Instant Aid (founded by his father Chet) and the Poplar Ridge Fire Company led him to be an EMT, an officer and a board member. He was an assessor for the Town of Ledyard and developed the first zoning regulations for the town planning board. 

Paul's involvement at Camp Caspar Gregory began at a young age, as a camper, a counselor, a diver, an officer, an engineer, and a board member. Some of his projects were designing the shower house, and in 1996 designing and building the water system which he operated every summer until 2021.

Paul loved math, calculators, surfing the web, the lake, tall ships, and ice cream. He and Jane lived true to their faith and values, embraced simplicity and service, and were examples of what hard work, self-sacrifice, dedication, resourcefulness, commitment, stewardship, integrity, and love look like.

Paul is survived by his children, Brenda Rose Simkin, of Ardmore, PA, and Samuel Milton Simkin, of Boulder, CO, grandchildren Ellie and Charlotte Mumma and Lydia Benton Simkin, and siblings Donald and Linda Simkin. He was predeceased by his wife Jane and his sibling Roger.

Memorial Service will be at 2:00 on October 21 at the Poplar Ridge Friends Meeting House. Contributions are graciously directed to Southern Cayuga Instant Aid, P.O. Box 7, Poplar Ridge, NY.