Paul Lawrence Calkins, 68, of Ripon/Salida California, passed away on November 20, 2023 due to

complications from severe Pneumonia. 

   Paul was born in Bishop, California on November 10, 1955. After graduating from Bishop High School, he moved to the Central Valley and earned a Bachelors of Art from California State

University Stanislaus and a Masters of Divinity from Fresno Pacific University. He married Terri Lee Halvorson in 1983 and was preceded in death by her in 2001.

   Paul was a beloved parent, teacher, coach, mentor, and friend. He was an educator who did more than just show up - he believed in and poured his life into thousands of Ripon High School students and hundreds of Cross Country athletes over a 30+ year teaching and coaching career. Paul's faith in Jesus Christ was foundational to how he lived his life and loved others.

   He is survived by his daughter Kristin Calkins, his son Jonathan Calkins, and two young men Paul mentored and loved beyond measure, Dave Elliot and Christian Plata. Paul leaves behind a legacy of caring for students whose names are too numerous to fit on this page.

   A memorial service for Paul will be held on Friday, December 1, 2023 at 

4:30 p.m. at Crossroads

Grace Community Church in Manteca ,1505 Moffat Blvd. Manteca ,CA, 95336, with a reception on site to follow. For those unable to attend in person, a live stream of the memorial will be available;

please see www.coachcalkins.com for a link.

   Paul's family wishes to reflect his commitment and love for the Ripon High community by establishing a donation fund for the school. Donations for the fund will be used to help programs and

causes at Ripon High School which were important to Paul, such as the cross-country team which he

coached for so many years. More information can be found at: www.coachcalkins.com. 

Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin

Wednesday, November 29, 2023