I came to B&V in 1974, after having been in the army and worked in the aerospace business.  I was supposed to work on Solar Power projects.  But my first day they asked me to help out on a coal plant in Oklahoma- Northeastern 3 &4.  My first questions were what is a boiler and a turbine.  I spent a lot of time in Paul's office asking questions.  He had a lot of patience and was a fantastic engineer.  He was a great guy.  My prayers go out to his family.   Jim Hover

I hadn't heard about Paul's passing until yesterday when Joe called me. He said he had sent me an email about it but that particular email address gets so much spam and other junk mail I had given up looking at it long ago.

Like Lee says above, Most of my memories of Paul were during our car pooling while working for B&V. Don and Paul where the guys Lee and I looked up to. Don, gruff with shoulders a mile wide but good hearted to the end, and Paul even keel and always ready to laugh at any needling we gave him. What I remember about Paul's and Sue's farm was the dry laid stone, the screened in deck, and the pit in the garage building where he could work under the cars. That pit really impressed me. 

Later I was fortunate to work with Joe at B&V and we struck up a good friendship of kidding one another about little things. I fondly remember having beers at Old Chicago with Paul, Sue, and Joe laughing at any and all things. I can hear Paul's laugh now. Paul, Sue, Joe, and Rebecca came to our house for some celebration, for what I forget, but I was very happy they came. 

Paul was one of a kind and I will always have fond memories of him.


I remember Paul with respect and admiration that developed over the several years that Paul, Don Eberle, Robert Wood and I car pooled to Black & Veatch.  None of us were shy, and as time passed there weren’t many if any discussion topics that were off limits. Robert and I were young engineers soaking up the wisdom and interesting experiences of our more experienced car pool buddies. I’m smiling now recalling two of Paul’s stories, which cannot be repeated in this space. And, I recall how much I appreciated the laughs we shared before and after a long day of work at B&V.
I admired Paul for his outspoken sense of right and wrong.  When a part time fifth car pooler complained about getting passed over for promotion, I insensitively noted that his rural Missouri slang may give some supervisors the impression he was not as smart as we all knew he was. Knowing Chris could never change the way he talked, Paul quickly put me in my place by saying: “Chris, you talk just fine.” Paul’s challenge of my comment was made with his trademark smile.  Seems he always smiled, and I don’t recall him ever raising his voice about anything.
Paul could build anything and build it with style. Although he was a mechanical engineer, he had a flare for the artistic aspects of his home projects. His huge, dry laid stone gate posts were works of art, and testament to how he valued putting forth whatever effort it took for perfection – one reason he was so successful as an engineer and manager. 
Paul came from a huge family with lots of siblings, and he loved to talk about Sue, Whitney and Joe. I recall hoping I could be the family man Paul was.
Thanks for the memories Paul.


Paul was an engineer’s engineer and I worked for him for a number of years early in my engineering career.  He was not just my mentor but also a good friend.  My wife Yvonne and I had many wonderful experiences with Paul and Sue over those years at various social and business related events and those memories are near and dear to both of us.  We only wish the pandemic did not interfere with us getting the opportunity to share some of those memories with Paul’s family and friends.  Our deepest condolences to Paul’s family, he was of the good ones!

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Paul Gordon Bockelman

20 février 1942 – 7 février 2021

Mt. Moriah, Newcomer and Freeman Funeral Home

Montrez votre soutien

Envoyez Vos
Condoléances

Partager
L'avis De Décès

Obtenir les mises à jour

Prestations de Service