Mar 6, 2022

Paul Denney Carmichael, Jr. passed Sunday, February 27, 2022. He was born in Washington, the oldest of five boys to the late Beatrice Rosing Carmichael and Paul Denney Carmichael.

He attended Washington High School. His father died when Paul was 13 years old. To help his mother he delivered newspapers and packed glass in the Hazel Atlas Glass factory at night.

Paul graduated from Carnegie Tech (Carnegie Mellon University), Pittsburgh, in 1955 with an electrical engineering degree; Youngstown University, Youngstown, Ohio, in 1959 with a law degree; and attended MIT. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity and was in ROTC. Paul has given multiple scholarships to students at Carnegie Mellon University.

He worked with patent attorney Francis Klempay in Youngstown while attending law school at night. Following graduation, he joined IBM to become Chief Patent Councel, keeping IBM among the top patentees in the United States. Upon retiring from IBM in Armonk, N.Y., he joined Apple Computer and headed up the Patent Department in Cupertino, Calif. Following Apple, he joined Nvidia and was Chief Patent Councel. Paul was president of Pacific Intellectual Patent Association (PIPA). He loved his work.

In 1958 Paul married Judy Berglund and the couple had four children, Sherry Carmichael Killion (Chris) of Wesley Chapel, N.C., Kristen Carmichael Olsson of Cupertino, Calif., Paul Denney (Chip) Carmichael III (Malou) of Port Saint Lucie, Fla., and Nevin Stuart Carmichael (Jane Walker) of Polruan Cornwall, England. He had eight grandchildren, Mikael, David, Kelsey, Patrick, Benjamin, Jasper, Osker and Lily. He also loved a niece, Susan Berglund of Evergreen, Colo., and the entire family Carmichael Clan.

Paul loved his family and fully supported them in every endeavor. While living in Wilton, Conn., and managing a global travel schedule, Paul, an Eagle Scout, fully supported his boys by being an Indian Guide Chief, Cub Scout master and Boy Scout master for Troop 17. Under his leadership, his troop became one of the top producers of Eagle Scouts in the United States. His troop camped year round. He also was a Little League Baseball umpire and a swim referee. He supported his daughters by helping them with their horses and The Munch Bunch, a catering business that Kristen owned to feed spectators at horse shows. He was chief cook. He was passionate about his vegetable and flower gardens as well as the outdoors. He was actively involved in the Republican Town Committee and a deacon at the Wilton Congregational Church.

Paul had a home in the Caribbean in Anguilla, British West Indies, where he lived for six months of the year, after retiring. He thoroughly enjoyed it. He supported the island and was a member of the Youth Sailing Association. He had a boat, Tropic Bird, used for deep sea fishing and enjoyed fishing with friends and pulling in Wahoo, Yellow Fin Tuna and other big game fish. He also funded scholarships for island students.

He contributed to many groups and charities. Several of his favorites included the Native Peoples of North America, Covenant House, and many boys and girls groups. His legacy will be his kindness and caring for others and the impact he had on those around him. He is deeply loved and will be greatly missed.

In lieu of flowers, the family wishes memorial contributions be made to The American Indian College Fund, collegefund.org or Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, shfb.org.

A celebration of life is planned for the future.