Paul Fleming

Kinder Sr.

Paul Fleming Kinder Sr., 88, of The Villages, Florida, entered eternal rest on November 5, 2026, leaving behind a family who adored him endlessly and a lifetime of friends he made along the way.

Born on July 22, 1938, in Washington, Pennsylvania, Paul was an athlete at heart from the very beginning. After a family move to Dearborn Michigan, he captained the basketball team at Dearborn High School, graduating in 1956, then went on to earn his bachelor’s degree from Alma College in 1960 and his master’s in Education from Eastern Michigan University in 1962.

Paul’s career was built around the things he loved. He began at the Detroit College of Business as assistant athletic director, basketball coach, and golf coach, and in 1966 he became the school’s athletic director. In 1970, he joined Lawrence Technological University, where he worked his way up from assistant director to Director of Financial Aid. He spent more than two decades there helping students find a way to follow their dreams and retired in 2000.

Through it all, Paul never left the game. From the mid-1960s on, you could find him on the field or court officiating Michigan high school and college football, baseball, and basketball, along with a wide variety of other sports at both highschool and collegiate levels. He took special pride in serving as head of the football officiating crew for the Detroit Catholic League, a role that reflected the trust and respect he earned from coaches, players, and fellow officials alike. Known for his fairness and his deep love and respect for the game, Paul was honored with induction into both the Michigan High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame and the Catholic High School Hall of Fame as an official.

Paul’s admiration for sports also found a home at Tiger Stadium, where he spent many years as part of the Detroit Tigers family. He directed the team’s merchandise giveaway days, managing the events that sent countless fans home happy. In the 1980s, he was promoted to press box manager, a role he carried out with the same dedication he brought to everything else. On football Sundays, he could be found in the officials’ box as the Detroit Lions’ huddle official, a job he held for many years.

Paul simply loved sports, and nothing made him happier and prouder than watching his grandchildren play. Paul aka “Papa” was their biggest fan, always in the stands and always proud. He loved a round of golf, his morning newspaper, and settling in for a John Wayne western or a good war movie. In 2006 he found a whole new family in the Villages, just 2 weeks after arrival becoming an active member and eventually President of the Parrothead Club in 2010-11, where he and his friends celebrated Jimmy Buffett’s music and the joy of good company. Paul had a way of making everyone feel like part of the team.

Paul is survived by his beloved wife, Glendora and cat Lucie; his son, Paul Jr. (Lynda); and his daughter, Lisa Houle (William). Son, Kendall Stevens (Jeri); daughters, Kerri Root and Danette Kolarsky. He was the proud grandfather of Paul II (Alexis), Christine (Chris), Kelsee (Kyle), Gregory, and Kodi, Brielyn, Autumn, Greyson, Leah, and Brittany. and the delighted great-grandfather of Kenslee and Kaiser. He also leaves his sisters, Mary Katherine Loiselle; his brother, James (Patti), and sister Helen Hoover (Don), along with many nieces, nephews, and friends who will miss him dearly.

He is welcomed into Heaven by his Father, Paul Wesley Kinder, mother, Genevieve Disbrow; first wife, Joan; his sister, Karen (Dan) Stachow; and his brother, Floyd Disbrow Jr.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to honor Paul in the ways he loved best: put on an old John Wayne movie, cheer a little louder at the next game, play a round of golf, and raise a glass to a man who loved life well. And if you would like to make a donation on behalf of Paul Sr., he would be happy to know it went to the Pony Baseball Association where a check can be made out to:

“Pony Baseball Softball”

In Memory of Paul Kinder Sr.

Address: 1951 Pony Place

Washington, PA 15301