Winfred Eugene Paschall Jr.

Winfred Eugene Paschall Jr, beloved husband and father, passed away peacefully from natural causes in his home in Palos Verdes Estates on May 31, 2020 surrounded by his loved ones. Affectionately known as “Gene”, he was 97 years old.

Gene was born in Dallas, Texas July 28, 1922, the oldest of four brothers, Lawrence, Charles and William (all deceased). Gene’s father passed away in an auto accident when he was 10 years old. He was raised by a well-educated and accomplished working mother. To ensure proper training, his mother encouraged him to get involved in the Boy Scouts which began a life-long association with that organization. As a teenager, Gene attended the National Boy Scout (Washington D.C.) and World (Holland) Jamborees in 1937 prior to graduating from Highland Park High School.
He attended Texas A&M for two years and was drafted into the US Army Signal Corps in 1943. Gene arrived in Ledo Assam, India and was responsible for installing telephone, link radio and teletype communications to support American troops in the China, Burma, India theatre.

Gene returned to Dallas, Texas in 1946 and attended Southern Methodist University where he graduated in Civil Engineering and Business and completed an MBA degree. Gene met Barbara Sims in 1949 on a blind date dancing on the roof top since there was no air conditioning at the time. They were married one year later, and together raised three children: Leslie, Gene III and Alecia.

In 1966, the Paschall family moved to Palos Verdes Estates, California where Gene began his 25-year career with the Hughes Aircraft Company as Procurement Manager for Satellite, Missile and Anti-Submarine Warfare systems.

Gene became the Scoutmaster of Troop 274 in 1967 where he built a program with other volunteer fathers that offered scouts hiking, boating and piloting experiences. They provided opportunities to climb all the major Southern California and Sierra Nevada mountain peaks, including Mt. Whitney, Mt. San Jacinto and Mt. San Gorgonio; captain a catamaran and earn a private pilot’s license. Gene believed through his own experience that the core Boy Scout values of leadership, preparedness and integrity can create men of strong character with or without a father. During his tenure as Scoutmaster, Gene graduated the most Eagle Scouts in LA County including his son. Later, Gene was a significant influence on his two grandsons achieving Eagle rank as well.

Throughout his life, Gene was a devoted husband and father. If asked, he would claim his greatest accomplishments were being an excellent provider to his family and supporter of the Boy Scout program.

He always gave credit to his wife Barbara, of almost 70 years, for her significant role in managing the home, entertaining, teaching, and raising 3 children to achieve their best. To his daughters, he and Barbara always encouraged them to achieve the highest education and career experiences in order to become self-sufficient as Gene’s mother had been. In his later years, he enjoyed the camaraderie of the PV Men’s Breakfast Club, special times with friends and the beautiful PV vistas.

Gene is survived by his beloved wife, Barbara, his son Gene III and his daughter, Alecia Bridgwater, 5 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. He is preceded in death by his daughter Leslie Abbott.

The family conducted a private memorial service and honored his achievements with a Celebration of Life on June 19th, 2020.
If interested, in lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests a donation to our US National Parks at https://www.nps.gov/getinvolved/donate.htm or Texas A&M University at https://www.aggienetwork.com/giving/