Paul was born to Joseph L. and Marcella Bell (Phelan) Wight on October 29, 1927 in Eagle Rock, California. The youngest of four children, Daniel, C. Virginia and Lilian (Sr. Cecelia Joseph). Paul lived in Eagle Rock for 50 years before moving to Glendale in 1977.
Paul was married to Mary Sorrentino Wight on May 27, 1978, owner of Sorrentino’s Orthopedic Shoe Store on Colorado Blvd. Mary passed in September of 2018 at the age of 92. Paul and Mary lived a wonderful life together and were devoted to Church, family and friends. They were prominent members of The Glendale Symphony, Los Angeles Symphony, Cabrini Society and many other Church & community organizations. They favored the outdoors, camping, hiking and fishing. Paul loved to ski and traveled to Switzerland and Austria to pursue the slopes. They lived to entertain and hosted many dinners at their lovely home overlooking Los Angeles. They Hosted many parties at the Tam O’Shanter Restaurant, Oakmont Country Club and Pikes Verdugo Oaks to name just a few.
Paul was a post WWII Navy Veteran and served on a ship in the Sea of Japan for 3 years. He was honorably discharged in 1947. After traveling the United States for a year, Paul took a job with The Department of Water & Power in Los Angeles and retired as a Senior Electrical Engineer after 40+ years. He has been retired over 25 years. In their retirement years, Paul & Mary gave countless hours of service to Church Organizations by hosting events, creating flyers and mass mailings. Their selfless generosity will never be forgotten.
Paul enjoyed reminiscing about his travels and activities during his military service and younger years. He regaled fascinating stories of our family forebears, their hardships and accomplishments to an eager audience of nieces and nephews. My brother George, Elaine (Sorrentino) Verdonck and I telephoned him at least once a week and visited him with family members at The Kensington Assisted Living Residence in Sierra Madre. I made it a point to ask him about family stories and technical topics in an effort to keep his mind active. And active it was, as he could recall times, dates & details of many events. I was fortunate to have talked to him on Wednesday, the day before he passed. He was alert and we had a very enjoyable conversation. Uncle Paul is survived and will be missed by nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and great, great nephews as well as family near and far.
Rest In Peace, Uncle Paul!
Dennis Barton
Keeper of the Family 
Dana Varieur
February 25, 2020
Memories of Uncle Paul are part of the fabric of my childhood. I remember him lifting me up to let me pick my favorite color of ribbon candy from the clear, heavy glass candy dish on the fireplace mantle…a candy dish that sits on our coffee table to this day. As a kid, I remember all of the stories about his ski trips to the Swiss Alps and other faraway places I knew only in my imagination and knew even then that he was one who lived his lift to the fullest. One of the treasures in our home is the collection of beautiful teacup sets…teacups that he used to bring home for Mamoo from his travels.
One of my favorite memories of him was taking a trip up to the Green Valley Lake cabin with Uncle Paul, my mom and my brothers…I must have been about eight years old or so. He slept outdoors in his sleeping bag on a rusty old metal cot, and I remember asking if he was scared to sleep outside. He told me no, that it was safe…with the exception of the “hoop snakes” in the hills above the cabin. Hoop snakes apparently would put their tails in their mouths and roll themselves like hoops down the hills…yep, I believed him (way longer than I’d like to admit, lol!)
As I grew into adulthood, I saw Uncle Paul and Aunt Mary less frequently through the years once we moved first to the Bay Area and then to Arizona, but I hold memories of both of them dear to my heart…they were beautiful souls with hearts of gold…
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