Paul Emerson Poppler

- January 11, 2024

Riverside, California

In Paul’s words: Born to Emerson and Elizabeth Poppler in Dayton, Ohio in March 1951. Lived across the country and for the last 40 years in Riverside, California.

Paul was an avid snow skier, golfer, racehorse owner and player. He enjoyed Mexico and casinos. Paul was an entrepreneur, business owner, and a sales and marketing consultant to many small and large companies. He was active as an emcee and fundraiser for many local and national charities. He received several commendations while serving in the Army, both in Europe and in combat in Vietnam.

He is survived by the pride of his life, his daughters Erin and Chowning – both successful attorneys. He is also survived by his brother Peter, younger sister Sal Baby Child, nephews Drew and Kyle, niece Adrienne, dedicated former wife, Melinda, good friend and uncle Dr. Joe Poppler of Riverside, and beloved dog, TLO (“The Little One”). His big sis Deb the Hun predeceased him.

In lieu of a service and flowers and all that nonsense, Paul suggests going to the casino or bar with some good friends. Roll the dice and run up a bar tab.

Final thoughts: Thank you to the dedicated doctors and staff at the V.A. We gave it a shot. No more tests. They do take care of their own.

And thank you all for the well-wishes cards, visits, love and support.

In his daughters’ words: Always the optimist, with luck on his side, our Dad loved a gamble. He liked to root for the underdog (a life-long fan of the Cleveland Browns, “the Mistake by the Lake”). He believed a Cinderella story could turn fortunes around.

This perspective explains our Dad’s commitment to working with the V.A. - consistently showing up for appointments, doing all the tests - to keep exploring the medical options that could extend his life. To have options renewed his sense of optimism.

On January 11, 2024, our Dad died. Having found meaning in numbers and their combination throughout his life, he would have appreciated the symmetry of his last day (111). His heart could not keep pace with his spirit. But his spirit outlives his heart.

We remember him as a maverick, who was gregarious and charismatic, always ready with an amusing story, quip, or joke (the more inappropriate, the better!). He loved to hold court with friends on the golf course, at bars, casinos, the horse-racing track, and the sports book. You could not help but have a good time when he was there. It is no surprise that one of his friends described him as a legend. He was truly one of a kind.

In recent years, he kept in touch through phone calls, epic voicemail messages, cards and letters. He was famous for sending a carefully curated “party in a box” for each of our celebratory milestones, which he never missed.

He was a man of many talents: successful and creative in his business endeavors; on the golf course, he swung with confidence and finesse believing trees were 90% air and any obstacle could be overcome if you just hit ‘em straight; a silver-tongued negotiator finding exceptional deals on everything from dogs to cars; and a virtuoso in the kitchen whipping up unforgettable meals from omelets to prime rib to a homemade spaghetti sauce so delicious and thick a fork could stand up in it. His culinary and creative talents live on at Eggheads, a popular restaurant in Fort Bragg that he founded with our mom in 1976.

As a father, he was accepting, supportive and generous with his time and common-sense advice. He liked to remind us: Common sense is not all that common. His steadfast confidence in us allowed him to be encouraging without pushing us in any particular direction except ahead.

Dad, we will remember you in our light-hearted moments and when luck strikes out of the blue. We will remember you when we visit your favorite places: a mountain where you loved to ski in your youth, on the coast in Baja and in Mendocino, and on the fairway. There, and throughout our lives, we will keep following your advice and do our best to hit ‘em straight.