Paul C. Kreuch Jr. passed away on Thursday, April 12. He was 80.
Paul C. Kreuch Jr. passed away on April 12. A celebration of his life will take place on June 23.
Paul lived an incredible life, was loved by many and was a resident of Leesburg, VA at the time of his passing.
He lived in Darien for over 35 years and was a well-known fixture at Uncle’s Deli and Colony Pizza, often arriving with his loyal dog by his side. Paul was the definition of a “people person” and he made a true connection with everyone he met.
Born on March 19, 1938, Paul was the son of Mildred Kemp Kreuch and Paul C. Kreuch. He was born in Chicago and later moved to Pittsburgh when he was in high school.
He attended Allegheny College where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree and is also a graduate of the Advanced Executive Program at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
It was at Allegheny College that Paul met his wife of 55 years, Eleanor Goodyear Kreuch. He is survived by his wife and three sons: Mitchell (Alison), Matthew (Michelle) and Steven (Maria).
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— This obituary previously was published by Darien News.
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Paul was a proud grandfather to his seven grandchildren: Peter, Steven, Tommy, Alexander, Haley, Samson and Stella. He was often seen cheering them on both on and off the field. His brother-in-law Herman Goodyear and his husband Jeffrey Trunzo were an integral part of Paul’s life.
Paul lived a life of great joy and enthusiasm. He and his sons had countless adventures, including dune buggy racing in Baja, shooting trap at Woodway (followed with a stiff Bloodies and eggs benedict) and going to every action movie that hit the big screen.
He was fiercely loyal to his wife Ellie and loved driving his Porsche with his plate “WTF EL.” Paul loved moments big and small with his family: he never missed any of his sons’ soccer games and was a proud supporter of his grandchildren in all aspects of their lives.
Paul had a successful career in banking for over 35 years. He began his career at Pittsburgh National Bank and later joined Wachovia Bank & Trust Company in Winston-Salem, NC. In 1982, he joined NatWest Bancorp managing the U.S. and regional banking groups. Paul became head of corporate banking and was named president and CEO and a member of the board of NatWest USA.
After retiring from banking, Paul enjoyed a 15 year second career as an executive recruiter. In 1997, Mr. Kreuch was named an independent director at VOXX International Corporation (formerly Audiovox Corp.).
His affiliations include serving on the Best Practices Council of the National Association of Corporate Directors, the Citywide Advisory Board of Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City and the Bankers Roundtable. Locally in Darien he served on the Representative Town Meeting and the Darien Youth Commission.
In addition to his family, Paul had a special spot in his heart for the many dogs in his life and volunteered at Tails of Courage to find homes for displaced dogs. He will be deeply missed by his mixed-breed pup Ginger.
Paul was a member of the Woodway Country Club, The Tokeneke Club, Campfire Club of America, the Grand National Quail Club and the Yale Club.
Paul Kreuch led a full and happy life, leaving behind a trail of generosity and laughter.
A celebration of his life will be held at 5 p.m., June 23 at Woodway Country Club, 540 Hoyt St., Darien. In lieu of flowers, a contribution to Tails of Courage, 39 Smith Street, Danbury, CT 06810 can be made in his honor.