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WARRENTON, VA – Charles L. Paul went to be with his Heavenly Father on Thursday, August 3, 2023. A very beloved father, grandpop, cousin, uncle, and friend to everyone he met. He was the quintessential gentleman who believed in kindness, courtesy, and genuineness.

Married in 1957 to his sweetheart, Jessie Lee, they were blessed with two children and their families: Linda and Brett Martin and their son Nicholas of Warrenton, Virginia; and Andrew and Sarah Paul and their daughters Abigail and Elise of Middletown, Virginia. He was so proud of his children and grandchildren, and he loved spending time with them whenever possible. He considered himself blessed with his large extended family of cousins, nieces, and nephews that he treasured more than words can express. A great lover of music and all animals, he always enjoyed time spent listening to concerts or playing with the grand-dogs, cats, kittens, chickens, ducks, and occasionally the miniature goats.

Prior to moving to Warrenton over 12 years ago, he faithfully served for thirty-nine years on the faculty of Chowan University. Mr. Paul began his teaching career at Chowan in 1963, where he taught courses on history and geography. Upon his retirement in 2002, the Chowan Board of Trustees awarded him the title of Professor Emeritus.

Born in 1930, in Carteret County, North Carolina, Mr. Paul grew up in a nurturing and close-knit family, and in the place he cherished intensely throughout his life. After serving in the Marine Corps, he enrolled at Chowan, receiving an A.A. degree in 1955 as Class Valedictorian and honored with the Citizenship Award. He then attended Wake Forest College, Carson-Newman College, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, earning a B.D. in historical theology and church history from Southeastern in 1961. In addition, he attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and East Carolina University, earning an M.A. in history from East Carolina in 1965.

During his student days at Chowan, Mr. Paul knew he wanted to devote his life to ministry, but not as a pastor of a church. He dreamed of using his calling and his talents to help young people get an education and guide them in discovering their life’s calling. He understood that students needed a place to belong, where people cared about them, and he had this gift of making students feel a part of their school community. His son, Andrew, continues this legacy of devotion to teaching his own students today, something which made Mr. Paul so extraordinarily proud.

An ordained minister, Mr. Paul served as a guest minister in more than 100 churches in eastern North Carolina and southeaster Virginia. He was a longtime member of Murfreesboro Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and Sunday school teacher. In addition to his church roles, Mr. Paul served for a number of years on the boards of the Chowan Area Development Association and Murfreesboro Historical Association.

A memorial service will be held in North Carolina at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Chowan Chapel Project at Chowan University in Murfreesboro NC. Chowan was his place…, a setting where he provided a foundation for the lives of young people, teaching them the importance of being good and kind, of grace, of faith, and reminding them “God is with you.”

Online condolences may be expressed at moserfuneralhome.com.