Blakely, Paul Frederick 

Paul Frederick Blakely, 58, of Longview, passed away Monday, April 17, 2006, at his 
home. Paul was born July 19, 1947, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and was raised in 
Wheeling, West Virginia. He graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from 
West Virginia University in Morgantown. He moved to Longview in the mid-1970s to help 
his family renovate homes. He was self-employed as a carpenter prior to becoming 
Longview Habitat for Humanity's first full-time executive director in 1993. He met 
his beloved Erika in 1994, and they were married in 1996. He was a devoted, caring, 
and loving husband. Paul and Erika were members of the Unitarian Fellowship of 
Longview and served together on the Race Relations committee. Paul served in various 
positions on the board at UFL and was an active member of the Interfaith Council and 
the Longview South Rotary Club. He was a charter member of the Nonprofit Coalition and 
a member of the East Texas Builders Association. He also served on the Longview 
Community Ministries and Greater Longview United Way boards of directors. From the 
beginning of his tenure as Executive Director of Longview Habitat, Paul's vision was 
to build cluster housing to transform blighted neighborhoods in south Longview. Under 
his leadership, Longview Habitat grew from an organization that built one to two houses 
per year, to the current six to eight houses per year. Paul Blakely was a quiet, 
private man, a servant leader who dedicated his life to helping others. He was respected 
and admired by his staff, Habitat volunteers, and homeowners alike. In keeping with 
Habitat mission, he helped to ensure that low-income families in Longview would have a 
simple, decent, affordable place to live in dignity and safety. Paul was preceded in 
death by his parents, Nelson and Grace Blakely of Phoenix, Ariz. He is survived by his 
wife, Erika of Longview; brother and sister-in-law, Bob and Nansi Blakely of San Marcos, 
Calif.; sister, Barbara Nelson of Phoenix, Ariz.; step-son and daughter-in-law, Marc and 
Elizabeth York of San Antonio; and nieces and nephews, Jennifer and Brian Blakely of San 
Marcos, and Tiffany and Blair Nelson of Phoenix, Ariz. A celebration of life will be held 
2 p.m. Saturday, April 29, 2006, at the Unitarian Fellowship of Longview. In lieu of 
flowers, donations may be made to Longview Habitat for Humanity, P.O. Box 2551, Longview, 
TX 75606; or to Greater Hospice of Texas, Inc.


Published in the Longview News-Journal on 4/20/2006.