It is with tremendous sadness that we announce the passing of Paul Stanley Upton (beloved husband of Vlasta Theresa (Kubik)) on Saturday, October 5th, 2024, at the age of 85. Paul took his last breath and closed his eyes for the final time with his family by his side.

Paul was born on February 4th, 1939 at the Grace hospital in Calgary Alberta, to Blanche Amy Juliette (Quesnot) and Delbert Kramer Upton. He grew up in a small war time home with his parents and two younger sisters Carol and Marie.

Paul attended the University of Alberta to study modern languages, where he met the love of his life Vlasta, at an Ides of March party, who was also a student at the U of A. Paul completed his undergraduate degree, as well as his master’s degree at the U of A.

Paul and Vlasta were married on October 12th, 1963, in Lethbridge. It was a calm, sunny, warm, beautiful fall day filled with stunning color and love. Paul adored his “Vlast” and was one week shy of celebrating his 62nd wedding anniversary with her.

Paul and Vlasta lived in London, England for a few years where Paul pursued his PhD (modern British novelists), but also developed a passion for Astrology and the Zodiac, frequenting a tiny little bookstore to nourish this new passion. While living in London, they spent a great deal of time exploring and travelling around Europe as well, with one of the most talked about spots being the South of Spain and the coast of Majorca.

Paul was a professor of English at the University of Lethbridge for 33 years. He was hired in 1964 by Kate Andrews in a dingy little bar over a couple of cigarettes and a glass of scotch, and began his teaching career at the University while it was still at the Lethbridge Community College. Paul had a very meaningful and successful career as a professor where his true passion was teaching - sharing what he loved and making special connections with staff and the thousands of students he got to teach. Paul was awarded the very first Distinguished Teaching Award at the University of Lethbridge in 1987.

Paul (and Vlasta) had their daughter, Vanessa Theresa, in 1970 and in 1972, their son Ivan Christopher. Together, Paul and Vlasta spent 54 years building a beautiful warm and loving home in which they created all of the special, fond and lasting memories we will now have, to hold on to today, so he can continue to live within us. Paul also had a son in law Jordan Craig Valgardson (2008) and together Jordan and Vanessa have two beautiful daughters Marisol Lucia (2009) and Mirabel Josette (2011) that Paul not only was extremely proud of but that he adored more than anything. Paul loved and cherished his little family (which he always said was his greatest accomplishment in life) and he worked hard right until the very end to care for all of us.

Paul was an incredible, passionate man who loved to laugh and tell stories. All or nothing. His wisdom, sense of humour, patience, caring, strength, understanding, integrity, compassion, intelligence and wit, insight and intuition, brutal honesty and unwavering unconditional love for all of us, and of course his never ending support will truly be missed.

I (Vanessa) was never the reader my dad was and no where near as brilliant, but I can proudly say I share the same love and passion for good literature and language and words that he did …. There was nothing he loved more than to revel in the beauty and strong emotion that just the right combination of words and sounds could bring or create  - “those words in that order” as my dad always used to say - a professor of the English language to his very core.

Years ago when I was teaching LA 6 I came across this novel that neither of us had ever heard of but that was very intriguing at first glance. I asked my dad to read it first to then tell me if I would like it and to my surprise- he did! A couple of hours later he called me back to say yes I would like it - in fact, probably love it, and as always he was right!

Although this novel is filled with such interesting imagery and rich word play we finally agreed that THIS excerpt was our very favourite part of the whole book - as educators, as language lovers, as parents, and as human beings - bringing us both to happy tears.

 

Excerpt from

THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH

by Norton Juster

“You must never feel badly about making mistakes,” explained Reason quietly, “as long as you take the trouble to learn from them. For you often learn more by being wrong for the right reasons than you do by being right for the wrong reasons.”

“But there’s so much to learn,” Milo said, with a thoughtful frown.

“Yes, that’s true,” admitted Rhyme; “but it’s not just learning things that’s important. It’s learning what to do with what you learn and learning why you learn things at all that matters.”

“You may not see it now,” said the Princess of Pure Reason, looking knowingly at Milo’s puzzled face, “but whatever we learn has a purpose and whatever we do affects everything and everyone else, even if in the tiniest way. Why, when a housefly flaps his wings, a breeze goes round the world; when a speck of dust falls to the ground, the entire planet weighs a little more; and when you stamp your foot, the earth moves slightly off it’s course. Whenever you laugh, gladness spreads like the ripples in a pond; and whenever you’re sad, no one anywhere can be really happy. And it’s much the same thing with knowledge, for whenever you learn something new, the whole world becomes that much richer.”

 

Dad, Paul, Grandpa – you will be missed in a way that is unimaginable and unexplainable. Every single one of our special moments and our fond memories together will live in our hearts forever. You are the wisest, funniest, most loving and thoughtful man and we LOVE YOU LOTS. Thank you for being you!

Love always

xoxo

 

There will be no funeral or service for Paul. He hated the thought of a funeral. His wishes were cremation and to keep things as simple as possible, which was almost a family motto.

Instead of a memorial service, or sending flowers, planting trees, or donating money to a cause, we would simply please LOVE to know your fondest memory of Paul.

A message, from you, about him. A note, an email, a text, a photograph, a video – anything - that shares who you are, how you knew Paul, and a story or blurb about your fondest memory of him, or what you liked most about him, or something along those lines. I am hoping to create a special collection for my daughters (and Ivan and my mom and I) who are going to miss him dearly.

 

Please send your thoughts in whatever way works best for you:

Email: Vanessa.valgardson@lethsd.ab.ca

Text: 403-382-9926

Or in the virtual guest book via Martin Brothers if you prefer