Paul Ferland

Paul Ferland CLAREMONT — Paul Ferland passed away unexpectedly on Sunday the 12th of June at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. Paul was born in Claremont, NH to Lionel Ferland and Veridienne (Arel) Ferland on April 14, 1951. He is survived by his son Lionel Ferland and daughter-in-law Jamie of Efland, NC; daughter Erica Ferland of Essex Jct., VT; his brother Ray Ferland and his wife Judy of Myrtle Beach, SC; his sister Elaine Farnham and her husband Tyrone of Bedford, VA; and several beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife Terry Ferland, his father Lionel Ferland, his mother Veridienne Ferland, and his nephew Tyrone Farnham Jr. Paul’s passion for architecture began at a young age while working alongside his father and brother building houses in Claremont, NH. This passion for building, design, and materials was the driving interest for his entire professional career. He attended the Boston Architectural Center before being drafted to the army in 1971. He used the draft to advance his architectural training, turning a 3-year enlistment into an educational opportunity. After having lived abroad in Germany, he returned home to Claremont, NH to design and build his own home. His love of his hometown drove him to run for a seat on the Claremont City Council where he would serve 3 terms and meet his wife, Terry. Together the two moved to Vermont where they raised their children. Later, the empty nest afforded them the opportunity to move to Virginia, a long-held dream they both shared. Paul owned over a hundred books on Frank Lloyd Wright, and he read them all cover to cover, several times. He could not be within driving distance of a Wright house and not stop and ask the current owners if he could get a tour. He was an avid consumer of the news, a lover of automobiles, and one of the loudest and most outgoing individuals you would ever meet. His ability to talk complete strangers into giving them a tour of their homes was a sight to see, his confidence was comforting in all situations. Paul could be both the life of the party and the quiet voice of guidance when needed. He worked professionally as an architect for the US government, several private firms, and as a freelancer for over 45 years. His award-winning designs can be seen from Frankfurt, Germany to Nantucket Island and include everything from residential design, to courthouses, schools, military barracks, and missile silos. He had a passion for design outside the norm, often fondly remembering the many barns he had helped owners repurpose into their dream homes. At 71 years old, he was still building, designing, and getting on the roofs of houses. He had a novelty plaque that read “If you haven’t grown up by 50, you don’t have to!” and he spent the last 21 years doing a fantastic job of living up to that statement. A celebration of life will be held for Paul at the Common Man Inn in Claremont, NH on August 6th from 11am to 2pm. The family asks in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to the St. Jude Children’s research hospital.