David Paul Harbin, age 75, of Florence, passed away Tuesday, August 27. Visitation will be Saturday, August 31st from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm at Williams Funeral Home of Florence. The service will follow at 1:00 pm in the funeral home chapel with Brother Ben Siegel officiating. Burial will be at Pisgah Methodist Church Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Gunner Weitz, Slade Weitz, Ryan Harbin, Brett Stricklin, Alex Harbin, and Clay Mitchell.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Emeral and Laura Harbin; sister, Patsy Johnson.

Survivors are his wife, Kathie Harbin; daughters, Christy Ann Weitz (Jeff) and Paula Dawn Taylor (Brandon); brother, Hal Harbin and Doug Harbin (Wanda); grandchildren, Alexis Brooke Taylor, Gunner Dale Weitz, Remington Slade Weitz, Gracelyn Hannah Weitz, and Cypress Dawn Taylor.  Pallbearers will be Gunner Weitz, Slade Weitz, Ryan Harbin, Brett Stricklin, Alex Harbin, and Clay Mitchell.

Paul and his wife, Kathie, grew up across the fields from one another.  They began dating as soon as they could in high school, married, and were completely devoted to one another for 54 years.  Best friends who rarely spent time apart, they raised a family through thick and sometimes very thin (especially in the early years) and left a legacy of enduring love.  Even in the final days of Paul’s life, they were still singing to each other as their eyes were locked in complete adoration.  Daddy took care of Mama and she took care of him…ALWAYS.

Paul’s joys in life were pure.  The yelp of coyotes in the night as he was hunting down their trail; a good, loyal hunting dog; good music, REALLY good music (when asked what music he would like to hear as his life was fading, he simply said “Hank”); watching birds while identifying their calls; knowledge, books, and history.  As a history major and elementary special education teacher, Paul was ever the teacher.  He was always eager to share a piece of common sense and wisdom.  He was a man of the Lord; imperfect, willing to admit when he had been wrong.  A mostly stoic and quiet southern man of a time gone by, he could then turn out one of his dry, unexpected jokes that had everyone busting out in laughter.

Paul loved his daughters and raised them up strong.  His grandchildren though were his PRIZE!  “Grandaddy” loved nothing more than to hear all about what was going on in their lives from young to grown and was always so proud of everything they were involved in from cars, music, dance, tennis, and law. Sunday breakfast with his brothers, good laughter and talks with his brother-in-law, sons-in-law, nieces/nephews, cousins, church family, neighbors, and friends were always his delight.  There are too many memories to share; too many 6-foot-long snakes he picked up by the tail with no fear as he tossed them into the woods away from his family and said the environment needs snakes to have balance (ever the teacher!); and the time he held a pistol on an intruder to protect his family until the police arrived…again with no fear.  As always with Paul, just steady, determined resolve.  Maybe it was the polio he had as a child that left him with a lifelong limp, or the seizures that he never let sideline him through adulthood…whatever made him who he was, we are forever thankful to him for contributing to who we all are.  Enjoy heaven Daddy…you’ve earned it. In-lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Alabama Epileptic Foundation, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, or North Alabama Christian Children’s Home.