A Eulogy for Paul Loyer
Paul Loyer was a great Warrior. He successfully fought two major demons in the form of alcohol and cancer and like the rest of us, other lesser ones that tempt our spirit every day.
Paul Loyer was a simple man. A man who suffered and caused suffering. A man who turned his life around so completely that he inspired others to value his honesty, integrity and courage.
Paul was a man who had many passions: his coin collection, patiently teaching anyone’s children, family, sports, a good day of fishing, did I mention sports?, dabbling in the pro-line lottery, the strawberry patch and of course, sports.
Paul was a man who loved deeply and unconditionally. He was absolutely devoted to his wife Sheri and cherished and adored her. At their wedding, Paul was much more nervous than the bride and he shook like a leaf at the altar. However, he rose to the occasion and no one showed more pride and joy on that momentous occasion than he. Not many people know but when Paul proposed to Sheri he was absolutely terrified that even after twenty-five years, she would refuse him. Nothing could have been further from her mind as the truth is that his “re-born” life actually began on November 11th, 1995 when Paul took his first step toward sobriety. Sheri would continue to walk alongside him not only as his wife but his greatest inspiration and support.
Paul was a good listener and as such, he attracted many people to his circle of friends. In particular, his work at the CNIB lottery booth, attracted a lot of repeat business. Customers preferred to purchase their tickets when Paul was working and like a favourite bartender or hair stylist, they would often confide in him because they completely trusted him.
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Paul had a terrific sense of humour. He enjoyed many good chuckles and he also provided the rest of us with some deep belly laughs. Some of you will grin now at the words, “Bubble Bath Night”, Monty Harvey and Paulette (my what an attractive woman he portrayed with his “great” legs!), his jealousy about Sheri skinny-dipping in their pool and how he couldn’t net a fish to save his life. It was not unlike him to demand that you empty your pockets or produce your loose change so he could check it out. And did you know there are only two channels on t.v. worth watching? CNN and any sports channel.
Just since Paul’s passing, it was discovered just how well-liked he was by his on-line coin-collecting friends. Paul often spent hours interacting with many like-minded individuals and literally dozens of e-mails expressing shock and dismay at his loss were received. Paul’s on-line friends told Sheri that he shared posts about her, his family and his health and always maintained a great attitude and positive outlook on life. He was particularly proud of introducing his nephew to coin collecting and the fact that his brother Raymond
came to his aid with the stem cell transplant. It was also said by others that what they shared on this site went far beyond coins and to quote one friend. “Paul was like all of us, a student of coins, but he was also a true teacher of life and the things that really matter.”
Paul always appreciated the fact that during his most challenging times, particularly in his fight with cancer, he was blessed with the comfort and support of two families, one here and one in Ottawa, most especially Paul’s brother Pierre and Sheri’s cousin Brent who both opened their homes to him and Sheri for weeks and months at a time. It is also very important to acknowledge the many doctors, nurses and countless other specialists who treated and provided much, much more than just medical support to Paul. They happily celebrated his every successful milestone along the way and he was seen as the Bone Marrow Transplant unit “poster boy”. Paul was even honoured to have been asked by a doctor to help relieve another patient’s anxiety by sharing his experiences.
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Paul not only believed the Serenity Prayer. He lived his life by it.
God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Paul Loyer was a great Warrior.
This is information on the late Paul Loyer, Paul in North Bay, whose sudden passing just a few days ago has had its impact on collectors.
Information supplied by his wife, Sheri.
Rick
