Paul C. Goldsmith Sr.

Paul C. Goldsmith Sr., age 76 of Batesville, died Saturday, May 2, 2009, at Margaret Mary Hospital. Born January 31, 1933 in Batesville, he is the son of Emma (Nee: Lampe) and Albert Goldsmith. He married Vivian Faulkner August 2, 1952 at St. Louis Church. Paul was a Lineman/Supervisor for 38 years at the Contel Phone Co., which later merged with GTE, retiring in January of 1990. He was a member of St. Louis Church and a Third Degree Knight with the Batesville Knights of Columbus Council #1461.Paul was a man who enjoyed life and making people laugh, typically after some fun natured teasing. When dining out, he would always have a response for the wait staff when they’d hand him the bill and among his favorites was “No thanks, I not staying for the drawing.” His family remembers his ability to create stories and after he’d drawn you into to believing them, “his eyes would start to sparkle and he’d flash the tiniest of grins and you knew you’d just been had.” Recently when he was admitted to the hospital and in a great deal of discomfort, he told his nurse he’d spent part of the war in a Russian concentration camp and went into such detail she believed it. Later in the day, the nurse told one of his daughters’ how sorry she was he had to endure such an awful experience. She promptly took the nurse into her dad’s room and asked him if there was anything he needed to tell the nurse. Although he took great pleasure in creating those tall tales, the children said their dad’s best qualities were his ability to cheer you up if you were down and providing sound advice without being judgmental. Paul loved spending time outdoors and enjoyed hunting for squirrels and mushrooms, as well as going fishing. In later years he preferred spending his outdoor time on the golf course. He was an excellent cook and would often bake coffee cakes to give to the neighbors. He also took pride in his chili and looked forward every year to Thanksgiving, where he could cook for the whole family and make those special dishes usually enjoyed only during the holidays. Paul and Vivian liked to travel and took several cruises, with trips to Honduras and Belize among their more memorable stops. But a vacation that eventually took them to the Canadian Rockies and Banff, Canada, was Paul’s favorite. He often recalled it as “the most beautiful place he’d seen.” He is survived by his wife Vivian; daughters Beverly Goldsmith-Bowling, Dawn Giltz, both of Cincinnati, Ohio; sons Paul Jr. of Batesville, Douglas of Greensburg, Indiana, David of Bright, Indiana; sister Lorraine Foster of Batesville; 12 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. In addition to his parents, he is also preceded in death by sisters Mildred Schene, Rita Maple, Katherine Fichtner, Dorothy Oswald and brothers Robert, Carl, Clifford, Ralph and Albert Goldsmith. Visitation is Wednesday, May 6th, from 4-8 p.m. at the funeral home. Funeral services are 10 a.m. Thursday, May 7th, at St. Louis Church, with Rev. Dennis Duvelius officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The family requests memorials to the Gibault School.

Paul C. Goldsmith Sr.

May 2, 1933 - May 2, 2009