Paul R. Lunsford, Sr. WEST COLUMBIA Graveside services for Colonel Paul Richard Lunsford, US Army (Ret.), 91, will be at 10:00 AM on Saturday, October 3, 2020 at St. Michael and All Angels' Episcopal Church Cemetery, 6408 BridgewoodRoad, Columbia, SC. Born and raised in Charlotte, NC, Paul was the son of Thomas Edward and Helen Robinson Lunsford. As a Distinguished Military Graduate of Clemson College, he was commissioned an infantry second lieutenant in the Regular Army in January 1950. Two months later he joined the Army's 7th Infantry Division in Japan serving as a rifle platoon leader in the Korean War, including an amphibious landing at Inchon and enduring the bitter winter of 1950 in North Korea near the Manchurian border and the Chosin Reservoir. Upon his return, he was assigned to the 8th Training Division at Ft. Jackson, SC, where he met Jacqueline Rae Abrams, to whom he was married for over 50 years. Following assignments with the 1st Infantry Division in Germany and Ft. Riley, KS 1953-1957, he attended the Infantry Officers Advanced Course of The Infantry School at Ft. Benning, GA, serving the next four years as a member of the staff and faculty. After Army Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, KS, Paul was assigned to The US Military Training Mission, Saudi Arabia, after which he returned to Ft. Benning as battalion executive officer with the 11th Air Assault Division. Subsequent to a year at The Defense Language Institute in Anacostia, VA, Paul attended the Superior Course of the Italian Army School of War in Civitavecchia, Italy. Colonel Lunsford was posted to Verona, Italy forduty withNATO Allied Land Forces Southern Europe headquarters, where he remained until joining the 3 rd Brigade of the 82 nd Airborne Division in Vietnam as operations officer in 1968. Later, he was commanding officer of the 1 st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry. Returning to Ft. Jackson in 1969 as deputy chief of staff, he then commanded the 2 nd Training Brigade before moving to Carlisle Barracks, PA, where he was a member of the Class of 1972 of The Army War College. Upon completion of the course and amaster's degreefrom Shippensburg College, PA, he remained at the War College as a faculty member, Director of Academic Policy, Academic Department Chairman, and ultimately retired from the Army in 1980 as the college's Chief of Staff. After moving to Columbia in 1980, Col. Lunsford spent 12 years at the State of South Carolina Emergency Preparedness Division, the last three years as the division's director where he supervised operations during Hurricane Hugo. Paul was a board member of the Columbia Kiwanis Club, volunteer reader for the SC Commission for the Blind, State Director of Selective Service, and served in the vestry of St. Michael and All Angels' Episcopal Church. Paul and Jackie spent their last 13 years together living in their dream home and enjoying sunsets on Lake Murray. Paul subsequently resided at Still Hopes in West Columbia, SC. Col. Lunsford was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Jackie. He is survived by sons, Richard (Jolene), Gregg (Leslie) and Edward. Affectionately known to them as "DooDah," he was especially proud of his grandchildren: Lauren, Kyle (Ariel), Daniel, Samantha, Arianna andUlysses. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Paul can be sent to Homes For Our Troops, https://www.hfotusa.org/ , 866-787-6677. www.caughmanharmanfuneralhome.net
Published in The State on May 10, 2020.