April 13, 2002
Man I don't know where to begin, when speaking of Paul. I
can still remember that very moment I got the phone call and every
little thing around me. I was working at Jeans West in the
newly built Fiesta Mall. It was in the morning the next day
and I had just opened the store when the phone rang. I
remember how I had just seen him a week earlier at the gas station
on McDowell and Granite Reef Road in what looked like a brand new
4x4 tan and brown Chevy pickup. I was so glad to see him.
Since I graduated in 1979 I kind of lost touch with him. We
talked for about 20 minutes and said we needed to get together and
go down to the trampoline place called "Jump" at the river bottom on
Scottsdale road just like old times.
I have so many memories but the one that stands out cause he use
to crack me up with the usual Paul antics like pretending to be the
Hulk, bouncing from trampoline to the next and finally jumping
so high we would land on the roof of the building next door until
the manager would scream for us to get down from there. And of
course the other fond memory I have is of him screaming out
"we-ba-da we-ba-da we-ba-da!" every time we would see each other for
first time that day at school or at J&B lounge (aka jack in the box)
on McDowell or where ever! Damn! he would just crack me up.
I really felt Paul was special, he made people laugh wherever we
went and people were drawn to his sense of humor. I really
wish I could of got to know Paul on a deeper level, but
unfortunately I was kind of the new guy, just moved from Chicago my
junior year and really didn't get to know Paul till the summer after
through my senior year, but I am truly grateful for the short time I
got to know him. We really had some great times, whether at
the river or another school party in my Dodge Ramcharger, EVERYONE
new when Paul entered the room. I also remember how much he
loved his girlfriend Lori and how much I envied him. They
really seemed perfect for each other, even at such a young age.
I really feel I could easily go on and on, so feel free to e-mail
me.
Dennis MacNeille
Class of 1979
May 1, 2000
Paul was my neighbor and my "little
brother". He and I would play practical jokes on our
other neighbors. We had a lot of laughs together. Once I
remember that there was a guy who kept bugging me to go out with
him, so I told him I had a boyfriend, he didn't believe me so Paul
pretended like he was my boyfriend. It was pretty hilarious,
you just had to be there. Paul was always doing stuff to make
people laugh. Unfortunately I was in Washington State at the
time of his death and was unable to be there for Paulette his sister
& Jack his father. You know he's in a better place
now. He was goofy, but I know he loved God. See ya when
I get there Paul - say hello to Mark Cole & John Boillot.
Jennifer Barber (Thompson)
Class of 1977
April 28, 2000
My brother Paul was killed when I was only 9
years old. It's funny how kids choose to see things. Do
you remember that show The Incredible Hulk? The beginning
showed David standing over his grave waiting for the moment that he
could return home to his family. Well, that's what I thought
that Paul was doing. He must be waiting for whatever happened
to correct itself so he could come back home to us. At 9 years
old who says you have to believe what the grown ups are telling
you. It wasn't till I was around 16 that I realized that he
wasn't coming back. It also took me till I was 26 years old to
want to know what happened on the day of his death. It was
strange all those years later to finally ask my Dad to tell me
everything that he could remember.
It was sometimes unsettling going to the same
schools as Paul did and having the same teachers that he had.
I had one P.E. teacher pushing me to do more sit-ups and her only
motivation was to chant "Do it for your brother Paul" and
"Paul will be proud of you." My classmates didn't
know that I had a brother so I was left to explain the story to
them. Another teacher, at a parent/teacher conference,
introduced himself to my Mom and then followed that with "I was
the one who cleaned the blood off the walls after Paul was
shot." Most teachers were kind and would tell me stories
about him around school.
During my senior year at Coronado I had a
constant fear of death. Waves of terror would simply consume
me. Somewhere deep inside of me I knew that I wouldn't see my
19th Birthday. How could I, Paul didn't see his. When I
turned 19 my best friend Dawn gave me a birthday card within it she
wrote "You made it!" All I could think of was why
didn't Paul? Not a single day goes by that I don't think of
what could of been. Two weeks before Paul's death my Mom and I
moved to Oklahoma. My biggest regret is that when we went to
say goodbye I didn't even get out of the car to give Paul a
hug. I just gave a wave and watched from the rear view mirror
as he gave my Mom a hug. When we drove away before we got to
the end of the block I was crying. I asked my Mom how could I
have just stayed in the car and not given him a hug when I knew it
was the last time I'd ever see him again. Two weeks later we
got the call from my Dad.
My favorite picture of Paul is one of us in
the backyard of our house sitting together. He was maybe 13, I
was 4 and our poodle Mitzi. Paul and I are laughing at the dog
and you can almost hear his laugh coming out of the photo. As
he got older he was always doing some kind of gymnastics around the
house. His favorite place in the house was up and down the
hallway doing his handstands.
After Paul passed away my Dad couldn't bring
himself to clear out his old room. For years it stayed just as
it was in 1980 and no one was ever allowed to sleep in Paul's
room. It wasn't till the summer of 1998 that my Dad and I
finally emptied Paul's bedroom.
They say that time heals all wounds but who
ever said that didn't know the joy and love my brother brought into
my life. The pain over the loss of my brother is still so deep
that I look forward to the day that we will be reunited. Paul
Clayton Muma was in my life for only 9 years but he will remain in
my heart forever. My Brother may have been taken away but his
spirit and memory live within all of us who knew him and loved him.
His loving sister,
Mischelle Muma
Class of 1989
July 16, 1999
Paul would do a handstand and walk down the hallway in the English building on his hands.
I remember sitting in class and looking out the window into the hall and seeing Muma walking by upside down making those goofy faces of his at everyone in class.
He loved to make people laugh.
Rich Gorzynski
Class of 1980
June 9, 1999
Where can I start...I can still remember the day we lost him.
I was supposed to pick him up that day and had called him several times.
His father Jack told me that Paul was next door. So, I started to get ready to go pick him up.
I got the call about an hour later, from Jim Chase. I didn't believe him at first. Then reality set in.
I think I cried every day for a year or so. I still break down if
I dwell on it too long. He was truly my brother. Every memory I have of Paul is a loving
one...We once drove to California together. CB's were big back then.
Paul couldn't resist talking to the truckers on the CB. At first we were asking about "smokies." (Cruising in my banged up 1971
Camaro). Soon, Paul got bored. He started to make sarcastic remarks to the truck drivers, as only Paul could.
We found ourselves being chased and almost run off the road by one of the truckers that Paul was spouting off to.
We didn't realize he was so close. We made it to California in one piece and had a great time.
Paul always made me laugh, he always got me in a good mood (even on the worst days of teenage life).
I can go on forever. Paul was also a very loving person.
I will never forget the devotion he had to the love of his life, Lori
Haase. She was, and is I'm sure, a great person. But for a teenage boy to have that kind of dedication, is just incredible.
One last thing; Paul, if you can hear me or read this, my son Paul Anthony Rolfe graduated from high school on May 20th, 1999.
I always remember you my brother!
John Rolfe
Class of 1979
If you
have a memory of
