Paul Fait

PAUL LEROY FAIT
May 26, 1938 ˜ August 30, 2023

Paul was born in Twin Falls, ID, a son of Elwin and Maria Fait. His parents divorced when he was a young child and he lived in various places as a child. He attended boarding schools in Portland, OR, and Mount Pleasant, UT. He also spent many years as a child living with his maternal grandparents in Baja, Mexico, where he worked in the family silver mines, which he greatly detested.
He attended high school in Torrance, CA, which is where he met his future wife, Juanita Saunders. They were married soon after.
Paul ended up joining the Air Force. He was a career military man and spent 22 years enlisted as a radio operator and retired a master sergeant. During his time in the Air Force, he was assigned many tours of duty which took him around the world. He earned many honors, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, which he was awarded several times.
After retirement from the Air Force, he spent two years using his radio experience on communications for the first deep diving submarine developed by Kentron.
He came home and worked at Allstate Insurance and attended Western State College of Law in Irvine, CA. He reinvented himself again in Yreka, CA, working as an investigator for the public defenders office.
Paul and Juanita eventually divorced, and Paul moved to Vallejo, CA, where he became involved with the Lakota community. He soon found himself as a Native American Chaplain at the prison. In 1996, Paul moved to Vancouver, WA, to be closer to his daughter, Juanita (Nina), who he affectionately called “Sammy.” He soon became active with the Sea Scouts, which he thoroughly enjoyed. He moved into the Colony Apartments and made many friends there and it was there where he made his home.
He was the greatest grandpa to Rachael, Michael and Mat. He was able to get to know them and was so proud of each of them. What really made him smile were his great-grandchildren, Dylan, Caleb and Kylie.
Paul is survived by his daughters, Maria Gelo and Juanita Bybee (Bardel); and his son, Robert Fait; his grandchildren, Alan, Jessica, Jamie (Erik), Jeri (Danny), Joe (Stephanie), Mat, Will (Jesse), Stephen, Rachael and Michael (Shayal); great-grandchildren, Nakiha, Jaelyn, Cameron, Kyra, Sebastian, Harlowe, Aislyn, Caleb, Morgan, Joey, Dylan, Caleb, Kylie, Henry, and great-great-grandson Zaden.
Paul was preceded in death by his brother, Stephen Fait; son, Stephen Paul Fait; daughter-in-law, Theresa Fait; and grandson, Joseph Fait.
Memorial services will be held at Layne’s Funeral Home in Battle Ground, WA, on Saturday, Sept. 30, at 2 p.m.
A military honors ceremony will be held for family members at the Vancouver Barracks on Monday, Oct. 2, at 11 a.m.