State Road, NC

Rev. Paul H. McCauley, 95, of State Road passed away peacefully May 17, 2018 from heart failure.  He was born in Fredonia, PA on July 26, 1922 to Frank Howard McCauley and Mabel Hester McCauley. He graduated from Linesville High School in Linesville, PA.  In January 1942 Paul and two of his brothers enlisted in the Army Air Corps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  He proudly displayed his NC WWII license plate. After his medical discharge from service, he graduated from Grove City College in Grove City, PA with a Bachelors Degree of Science in Business (Business Administration).  He earned a Masters Degree in Religion from Wesley Seminary, Washington, DC and a Masters in Sacred Theology from USC.  During his years in seminary, Paul was considered a Greek scholar.

Paul's hobbies included fishing, hunting, photography, wine, classical music and reading.  Paul was awarded the 32 ^nd Masonic degree.  He was also a member of the Almas Masonic Temple in Washington DC and Eastern Star in Amherst, MA.

Paul was very proud that six people chose to go into the ministry as a result of knowing and working with him during his life.

During his 50-year pastoral career with the United Methodist Church, Paul served churches in Thurmont MD; Long Beach CA; Middletown OH; Mt. Airy MD; Layhill MD; Dalton MA; Amherst MA; North Adams MA; Germany; Martha's Vineyard MA; Honesdale PA; Ruskin FL and Elkin NC.

He experienced several career highlights including being asked on several occasions to open the U.S. Senate with prayer.  He served as a pastor in the German Lutheran Church in Merhrum and Peine, Germany for three years from 1975 through 1977.

While in Germany, Paul and his daughter, Becky, attended English speaking church services at the British base in Hildesheim.  Shortly after, the British Chaplain was reassigned to Northern Ireland.  To fill the void, Paul was appointed by the Queen of England as the Officiating Chaplain to the British Forces and was granted the rank of Major.  So every Sunday, Paul conducted Lutheran services in German and then Anglican services in English.

After his return to the US, Paul led six trips to Europe, three of which included Oberammergau, Germany to attend The Passion Play.

Paul is survived by his three daughters, Jeanette McCauley from Lexington Park, MD; Paulette McCauley from State Road, NC; Loretta Austin from Davenport, FL; and various nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews.  He was preceded in death by his wife, Margery Jean (Taylor) McCauley, and his daughter, Rebecca Esther (Shorb) McCauley.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 23, 2018 in the chapel of First United Methodist Church in Elkin, NC.  Conducted by Rev. Mike Shuford.

On line condolences may be made to www.jkennedyfsl.com