Paul John Stanislaw passed away on July 16, 2026 after a four-year battle with Parkinson’s. His wife of 47 years Cindy, daughter Logan, dear friend Amber Dello Stetto, and caregiver friend Charlton Miller were with him at his passing. Eldest son of Julia and Paul Stanislaw of Warren Ohio, Paul was a force of nature, always the first to find fun and create fun, and remembered by many as the quintessential life of the party. Whether dancing joyfully in his parents’ living room or leading a party of hundreds in unrestrained song and dance, Paul’s dynamic presence was irrepressible as he shouted “Fire em up” and “Airborne”! Till the very end Paul was Paul – he never would give up his spirited approach to life – even though unable to speak – his eyes glowed with vitality and his grip as strong as steel displayed his will to live!

Paul was born in 1947 in Warren, Ohio and raised in nearby Champion. Paul remained fiercely loyal to his hometown and his friends the rest of this life. He graduated from Champion High School in 1965 and Youngstown State University in 1969. He married Cindy McPherson, formerly of Newton Falls, Ohio, in 1979. Together they moved to California in 1984 first Los Angeles then Laguna Hills, where they welcomed their daughter Julia Logan in 1992.

Paul started his professional career in Packard Electric in 1965 while attending Youngstown State University from where he graduated in 1970. Paul worked at Packard for close to 13 years before pursuing a career in financial services. His Packard years were interrupted by joining the U.S. Army in 1971 as a First Lieutenant where he was stationed for 2 years in Bamberg, Germany. Paul’s Bamberg years were a formative part of his life where he among his many responsibilities was, most appropriately, tasked with organizing social activities for the troops.

Paul joined IDS Financial Services in 1979 where he helped individuals and families with, savings, retirement planning and investments. He earned distinction as a sales representative and is particularly remembered for helping members of his parents’ generation – many of whom distrusted banks because of their experiences during the Great Depression – invest money they had literally kept in their homes and under the mattress. His management and business development skills prompted a promotion to manage Southern California and Hawaii for IDS. He continued with the company as IDS became Ameriprise, until his retirement from there in 2015. He then joined Citizens Business in California as Senior Vice President for four years before retiring in 2018.

Paul supported numerous charitable causes, including establishing scholarships at Champion High School in honor of his parents, supporting Santa Ana College, the Performing Arts Business Partnership of Orange County, and Operation Homefront assisting military families during overseas deployments. He and Cindy were members of Mount of Olives Lutheran Church in Mission Viejo, California.

Paul’s zest for life marked all those who crossed his path. He was renowned for bellowing along with the lyrics to “Joy to the World” (aka “Jeremiah was a Bullfrog”), his wild dance moves, and his tag lines “Fire em up!” and “Airborne!”. He is survived by his wife Cindy, their daughter Logan, his younger brother Joe (who Paul always maintained with gusto that Joe looked older), and Joe’s wife Augusta, nephew Louis, niece Katrina Stanislaw, her husband Chad, and their son Calum, nephew Henry and his fiancée, Katharina.

A celebration of Paul’s life will be held Saturday, August 1st at Mount of Olives Lutheran Church, 24772 Chrisanta Drive, Mission Viejo, CA 92691. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Paul’s name to MOO Church for improvements to the youth center (the R.O.C.K.).