Paul Samuel Wynia passed away in his sleep July 28, 2016, in his home in Nampa. He was 82. Born to Samuel and Ralphina (Rose) Wynia on December 11, 1933, Paul, the youngest of six surviving siblings, grew up on farms across the Treasure Valley and attended school in Caldwell. He learned the value of hard work and thrift, virtues he practiced all his life. At age 18, Paul met and fell in love with DeLois Trovillian at the Nampa Rollerdrome, where they began a romance that lasted 65 years. They married in 1952. Their first year together was a time of enormous change. There were job changes and several moves. Paul lost both his parents, became a husband and a father. That was a lot to adjust to in a single year. Paul's work as a lineman for Union Pacific Railroad had them on the move. Paul worked stringing telegraph wires and moved his family along the line in a trailer house. In three years they moved through seven states and 42 towns. When the lines went where road didn't, the family moved into a boxcar outfitted as a very basic apartment. Later, Paul worked as a lineman for Idaho Power, and in 1957, the Wynias bought the farm in Melba where they lived until 2014. The farm required a huge investment of money, time, and labor. Paul bought cows so the family could have a monthly income and threw himself into the multitude of tasks. At first, Paul continued working for Idaho Power--ten days away and four days at home--while DeLois stayed home with two babies and managed the farm. From the start it was clear that the farm was everyone's full-time job. Later Paul left Idaho Power and took on custom work for neighboring farmers. It was not uncommon for his summer days to be 20 hours long. DeLois would pack lunches and kids into the car to drive to whichever field he was windrowing or baling so they could see their dad and bring him a new thermos of hot coffee. Demonstrating his commitment to others, Paul served on the Melba School Board, the Co-Op Oil Board, the Youth for Christ Board, and in various church stewardship positions. Church was a high priority in Paul's household. Sunday morning and evening services were rarely missed, and attendance on Wednesdays and at revivals was frequent. He and DeLois took mission trips to Haiti and China where they smuggled in Bibles! Although the first half of Paul and DeLois' life was much more work than play, they did get to spend their later years enjoying some fun and luxuries. They were able to take several cruises (Caribbean, Panama Canal, the East Coast and St. Lawrence Seaway, Alaska, and Hawaii) and traveled to the Holy Land, China, Haiti, Canada, and most of the continental US. They spent close to 30 years wintering in southern California and enjoying resort living and making many new friends from across the US and Canada. Paul loved music. In 1982, he and DeLois began a traveling music ministry that lasted 22 years. Paul sang in his clear strong tenor and DeLois shared stories in concerts in churches and RV parks across the American West and South. Paul recorded seven albums that reflected his love and faith. Always competitive, Paul enjoyed all sorts of games. Whether playing pinochle or ping pong, he played to win. He loved softball and pickleball and won countless tournaments and competed in the Senior Olympic Games. Even after Parkinson's disease left him unsteady on his feet, he went to the pickleball courts daily and enjoyed the company of many to whom he had taught the game. Paul leaves behind his lifelong partner DeLois; his children Debra Mathews of Twin Falls, Steven Wynia (Karen) of Melba, Karen Giardina (Marty Kelley) of Caldwell, and Joyce Doorn (Jeff) of Whitefish, Montana; his brother Sipka Wynia of Las Vegas, 11 grandchildren, and 16 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers John and Bill Wynia, his sisters Alice Bettis and Rowena Flood, and infant son Donald Leroy Wynia. The family would like to thank Complete Health Care and Hospice for the kindness, gentleness, and excellent care they provided in the final months of Paul's life. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, August 1, at Bethel Church of the Nazarene, 3001 12th Avenue Road, Nampa. Graveside service will be held at 2:00 p.m., at the Melba Cemetery. Service: Monday, August 1, 2016 11:00 a.m. Bethel Church of the Nazarene 3001 12th Avenue Road Nampa, Idaho
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