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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 30, 2015 - 08:37pm PT
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Unbelievable! I was checking the Boulder Daily Camera to see if there was an obituary for Mort Hempel by any chance, and discovered that another old friend from my Yosemite days has just passed away.
Paul's wife Chela was an early friend and climbing partner of Frank Sacherer who has a separate bio on the Chick History thread.
Paul Kunasz
1941 - 2015


Paul Belknap Kunasz of Boulder died, Friday, August 14, 2015. He was 73. A Celebration of Paul's Life will take place in late September. Paul was born November 27, 1941 to Paul and Isabelle Kunasz (Belknap) of Hollywood, CA. He attended Midland School in Los Olivos, CA, before earning his Bachelors of Arts in Physics at Berkeley, and his Ph.D. in Physics and Astrophysics at University of Colorado at Boulder.
Paul taught math and science at Villa Park High School in Villa Park, CA in 1966 to 1967 and at Midland High School in Los Olivos, CA in 1967-1969. He became a research assistant, JILA, at the University of Colorado from 1969 to 1974, and was a research associate from 1974 to 1976. Post 1976 he worked as an independent consultant on physics/astrophysics for clients including the University of Paris/Observatoire de Meudon, and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (radiative transfer and atmospheric chemistry), and the National Science Foundation through the University of Toledo, OH. He consulted for the Los Alamos and Livermore National Laboratories, including work on projects later used for diagnostic medical applications. He did research for the TRW Corporation in Denver to optimize reduction of particulate pollution at an Arco site in Butte, MT. He gave invited talks at a number of national and international venues, and wrote many research papers on his work.
Paul's family and friends will always remember his many gifts: as a hiking, climbing, kayaking, bicycling and swimming companion; his deep kindness and special favors to many; his creativity; his talent for explaining complex ideas in physics; his many years of contributions to the Cosmology and Modern Physics Boulder Library discussion group; his interest and insights in philosophy; his sense of humor; his delightful and unique personality; and his great care and devotion to his wife, who loved him beyond measure.
He helped Tibetan refugees who came to Boulder as part of the Tibetan Resettlement Project, and aided his wife in her work for Friends of Tibetan Settlements in India (FOTSI), a registered non-profit corporation. Most of all, he found a way to simply be there for people when it was needed most, in a quiet way that did not bring attention to himself. He is survived by his wife Chela Kunasz of Boulder, CO and his brother Peter B. (Diana) Kunasz of Fallbrook, CA. Contributions; Midland School Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 8, 5100 Figueroa Mountain Road, Los Olivos, CA 93441.
Published in www.dailycamera.com/ on Aug. 23, 2015
 See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dailycamera/obituary.aspx?n=paul-kunasz&pid=175559352#sthash.DvsQ9gyE.dpuf
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 30, 2015 - 08:39pm PT
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Since I couldn't get the web master to change the misspelled Memorial thread, I am posting a new one so people who know the spelling can find it.
Here are the comments from Supertopians so far.

DrDeeg
Mountain climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA

Aug 26, 2015 - 05:12pm PT
I knew Paul when I was an undergraduate student at Berkeley, along with Chela who Sacherer's girlfriend and then later Paul's. Paul was incredibly strong, but along with that went the metabolic rate of a bird, so I recall that on longer climbs he couldn't go long without eating. Chela was also a strong and balanced climber, as she was a dancer.
Ironically, I see in the obit that Paul went to and later taught at Midland School in Los Olivos. My oldest grandchild, a granddaughter, graduated from there.


mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.

Aug 26, 2015 - 05:12pm PT
My condolences, Jan. Been a tough day, huh?


survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station

Aug 26, 2015 - 05:15pm PT
I'm so very sorry to read this.
Jan, you have my deepest sympathies at this hard time.
We all must march the trail to the end.....
Rest in peace Pappap Schweiger also.


neebee
Social climber
calif/texas

Aug 26, 2015 - 05:24pm PT
hey there say, jan... oh my, :( i have many friends, now, that are seeing old-time friends, dying...
my condolences and prayers for you to be strong in the good memories, to help buffer the pain...
edit:
thank you very much for sharing about a dear friend...


couchmaster
climber

Aug 26, 2015 - 06:29pm PT
Sending a Virtual hug and all my best to you Jan.
(All together now: please take one step closer to the edge)


Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!

Aug 26, 2015 - 08:38pm PT
Great guy and a regular presence at the gym. Lots of psyche and lots of fun.


Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID

Aug 26, 2015 - 09:04pm PT
Sounds like Paul had a great life.
I'm very impressed with all the Neoal & Tibetan's work he did.
Condolences to family & friends.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Aug 30, 2015 - 08:40pm PT
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hey there, say, jan... oh my... yet another condolences, to you, through these 'new finds' as to dear friends... oh my...
and prayers for his family, at these hard times...
what a sweet legacy--as to your quote:
Paul's family and friends will always remember his many gifts: as a hiking, climbing, kayaking, bicycling and swimming companion; his deep kindness and special favors to many; his creativity; his talent for explaining complex ideas in physics; his many years of contributions to the Cosmology and Modern Physics Boulder Library discussion group; his interest and insights in philosophy; his sense of humor; his delightful and unique personality; and his great care and devotion to his wife, who loved him beyond measure.
He helped Tibetan refugees who came to Boulder as part of the Tibetan Resettlement Project, and aided his wife in her work for Friends of Tibetan Settlements in India (FOTSI), a registered non-profit corporation. Most of all, he found a way to simply be there for people when it was needed most, in a quiet way that did not bring attention to himself.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 30, 2015 - 08:56pm PT
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And here are some more photos which were posted to the Obituary Guestbook of the Boulder Daily Camera by Peter Kunasz.
Surely someone here has a photo of Paul climbing?
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Jan
Mountain climber
Colorado, Nepal & Okinawa
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 30, 2015 - 09:00pm PT
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And one of the memorials that were left.
I vividly remember Paul as an upper classman at Midland School in 1958. He seemed to know what he was doing and set a good example for us freshmen. I later followed Paul's career through his brother, Pete, and I marveled at all of his accomplishments in life from academia to athletics. In fact, I was blown away a few years back when Pete sent me a video of Paul climbing some impossible vertical peak in the Rockies at age 70+. And then I learned about his work with Tibetans in India where I know that the support made a huge different in the lives of many. So, there he was 54 years after Midland still being a sterling example for us younger kids. He has left us far too early. To Chela and the family, please accept my sincere condolences in this time of sadness. All the best in celebrating his wonderful life in September.
Harry Cross, Arlington, VA
 See more at: http://www.legacy.com/guestbooks/dailycamera/paul-kunasz-condolences/175559352?&eid=sp_gbupdate#sthash.PJexd7C0.dpuf
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Brokedownclimber
Trad climber
Douglas, WY
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Aug 30, 2015 - 09:03pm PT
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I had the privilege to climb a little with Paul during my dirtbag stay in Yosemite, June 1965. He and I made an ill-fated attempt on the East Arete of Split Pinnacle; the failure of our attempt was due to my barfing after doing the 5.8 chimney on the first pitch. My introduction to Yosemite chimney climbing didn't go so well!
Paul was a cheerful and friendly guy, and we hit it off pretty well as a team. He had to return to Berkeley shortly after the Split Pinnacle escapade, so I drove him down in my old Chrysler. We talked a lot of science during the ride down to town.
Sorry to hear of his passing, since I had hopes of seeing him again "sometime."
My sincere condolences to his surviving family and to his wife.
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Bad Climber
climber
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Aug 31, 2015 - 06:00am PT
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Quite the man. Wish I'd known him.
BAd
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klettershuegirl
Trad climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Hi Everyone,
This is Paul's wife, Chela, thanking Jan and all the rest of you for kindness about Paul and to Jan. There are photos of Paul, including a good number of him climbing (but not always his hardest routes) at www.paulkunasz.com (a site his brother has recently put up). And Jan or others, if you want to contact me, I'm at chelak@comast.net. If needed I can also let you know about his Celebration of Life, which will be in Boulder on September 25...
Chela
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