Think with me for a moment of someone that God has placed in your life that would rank as a lifelong friend. I think of a man named Paul. We go back to high school days. Paul was a little older than myself; however, we both graduated from Sturgis Brown High school in the seventies. I have many fond memories of Paul and his family. Their family ranch was down the beautiful Whitewood Valley. We would kid each other about living on the “backside of Bear Butte”. He saw the mountain daily looking southeast and I would see the landmark looking to the northwest. I remember numerous times picking apples from their orchard. Paul and his brother, Daniel, would introduce the Reinhold boys to motorcycles, and the challenge would be to ride across the creek without tipping over. In those days, Whitewood Creek carried a lot of “sludge” from the gold mines near Lead and Deadwood. The water was not very pretty. Oh, but the fun we had!
Paul and his family were part of the construction process of Rainbow Bible Ranch from the very beginning in 1979. Shortly after my brothers died, Paul would avail himself in the digging of the basement. And later that fall, it was men from the Marrs family that helped put the final sheets of steel on the roof of the gym before a winter storm moved in.
Paul and I had the distinction of being the most eligible bachelors in Meade County, South Dakota. There were many of the older ladies in our community and in our churches who were worried that we would never get married. I am quite sure that our mothers probably prayed daily for us. However, in 1991, Paul and Larry relinquished the distinguished notoriety of being the most eligible bachelors. In October of that year, Paul married “Miss Linda” and in December, Robin and I were married.
Our friendship continued as we shared similar heart-felt passion—for Christ… for family… and for missions. We served on the board of directors for Steer Inc. for many years. This would allow for us to travel to Bismarck regularly. We would travel with our friend Bruce Brunner and talk and laugh. We enjoyed many mission conferences together and our families would enjoy swimming together, and, of course, you could never forget the South Dakota parties in the Reinhold hotel rooms. Of course, the Clark family would be in on that, as well as our dear NoDak friends, Todd and Kim and their family.
Paul had a near down home country way of speaking. In fact, if I would retell a story that I heard from Paul, I would find myself falling into a certain drawl just the way Paul would speak. And then there were times listening to Paul, a good Norwegian, order Knoephla, a German soup in Bismarck. More often than not, he would be wearing denim and coveralls. I still smile at the sight of him leading a business meeting, his reading glasses perched low on his nose.
We are talking friendship and relationship that is forty and fifty years long.
Paul was a welder and mechanic… whenever we would go to their place for dinner, Paul would have to take us to his shop. He loved taking my sons, Danny and Caleb, to his shop to show them his projects.
We had the privilege of watching Paul stand up as best man for his son, James, at his wedding in January. His other son, Johnny, was to fill that position but he was deployed to the Middle East and was not able to make it home. What added to a special aspect of that evening was that during the supper, Paul came over and sat with us, Robin and myself, and as normal, he did not ignore the presence of the young people. Julia and Kiersten were in attendance as well and of course Paul made sure that they were important.
Paul and Linda came over to the ranch at Christmas and asked what Rainbow Bible Ranch needed. He asked me of my concerns.
I said there was a continued need for qualified and godly staff members. We just are not able to go to the day labor office and find a team leader. RBR needs top people to fill the positions each season. And then I said we need to be able to finance them and meet their needs. Paul was more than attentive. He was sincere in his follow-up questions and thoughts.
Two and half weeks ago Danny, Caleb and I stopped at the Sturgis hospital to see our dear old friend, Walt Simons. I leaned over him before I left and simply stated,“Well, old cowboy, you are going to beat me home to Glory.”
As we were leaving we met Linda, Paul’s wife and she told us that Paul would like to see us. Paul was now a patient in the hospital. Some complications with surgery and the cancer that was now attacking his body was becoming more complicated. We visited… we prayed…we said our good bye.
Little did I know that would be my last conversation with my friend Paul… You see… My life long friend died on Feb 10…. Or rather … He beat me home to Glory as well.
No one will take his place here on this earth, but I do know that I am a life that has been most blessed by my friendship with Paul Ray Marrs.
Photo of Paul and Larry on December 8, 2023