Obituary of Paul Leo Major

On November 1, 2018, Paul Leo Major, known by many friends and family as “Butch,” completed a life he recently deemed “a hell of a ride.” Surrounded and comforted by family and friends during his final days and moments, Paul departed this life and joined our Heavenly Father peacefully and with unwavering faith. 

Paul was born on October 23, 1971, in Galveston, Texas. He grew up in Warren, Texas, where he was raised by his parents Mike and Maxine Major. As a child and young man, Paul was a proficient hunter, fisherman, mechanic, and was an avid reader. Paul also possessed sharp acumen in general, as demonstrated by his refusal to cheer for the Dallas Cowboys—though the wisdom revealed by that refusal was somewhat undercut by his unfortunate status as a San Francisco 49ers fan. As an adult, Paul worked to become a skillful heavy machine operator and civil superintendent, earning the respect of his coworkers, supervisors, and subordinates. Throughout his life, people knew Paul as someone willing to lend a hand and able to ignite laughter with his keen wit and redneck idioms, metaphors, and slang. Paul cared deeply for his father Mike, and he demonstrated that love by tenderly attending to Mike in his final days battling cancer.  While Paul was sweet and funny, those who knew Paul best also knew he was tough as nails. Indeed, Paul once absorbed an accidental 12-gauge shotgun blast at point-blank range, after which he casually stuffed a shirt in the fist-sized wound, walked to a nearby pickup truck and nonchalantly said, “Take me to the hospital.” 

Paul’s survivors include his beloved son, Jacob Major and fiancée Sydney Shepherd; his mother, Maxine Major; his siblings Kimberly Major, Beth Drewery, Blaine Major, Amy Fonville, Benjie Major, and Jason Major; his dear friend, Paul Williams; and numerous nieces and nephews who loved him dearly. 

Paul was preceded in death by his father, Mike Major, by his dear friend, Shawn Read, and by his grandparents.

His family will receive friends on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at Farmer Funeral Home, 415 N. 4th Street, Silsbee, TX.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, at 10:00 a.m., in the funeral home chapel, with Dr. Paul Williams officiating. Interment will follow at R.S. Farmer Memorial Cemetery, Silsbee, TX. 

Serving as pallbearers will be Jacob Major, Benjie Major, Blaine Major, Jason Major, Matthew Sirmons, and Kenda Major.