Paul N. Nass

Service Details

There will be a private service for his family and invited guests.

Memorial Suggestions

In lieu of flowers please make a donation to your favorite charity in his honor.

Paul Nathan Nass’ life was cut too short on October 6, 2022.

Born May 27, 1950, in Manitowoc, Wisconsin to Leonard and Florence Nass. Paul graduated from Racine Lutheran High School in 1968. Not long after graduating he signed up for the Army Reserves in 1969 to avoid any chance of being enlisted for full-time service during the Vietnam War. While serving as a drill sergeant and then a staff sergeant, Paul met the love of his life, Liz Paal. Upon meeting her at work on her first day at Modine on September 14, 1970, he proposed to her! After a not so great first date based on Paul’s love of astronomy and music, Paul reluctantly asked Liz on a second date and the rest is history. They were married on September 16, 1972. Paul and Liz started their life together in Racine.  After Paul injured himself doing appliance repair, he quit his job and enrolled at Gateway Technical College full time for electronics, graduating in May of 1977. Soon after, they welcomed their first child, Justin. Paul could be seen driving around town in his 1968 red Pontiac Firebird convertible. His beloved car was taken out while parked on the street by their home by a woman enjoying her best life. First, a new car and then a move to Green Bay. After only three months they decided they had made a mistake and were finally able to move out the following January. They moved to Fort Atkinson. Their second son, Eric, was born in 1980 in Janesville. After being away from the lake for far too long, they moved back to Racine.

Paul had the privilege of working at Marquette Electronics while continuing his education at Milwaukee School Of Engineering. After graduating in 1997, he had jobs in electronics and computers working for other bosses. His retirement job was being his own boss as a self-employed web designer. Never a dull moment.

He loved his family and would drop anything to help them. Paul coached middle school basketball for both of his boys. First, it was coaching for Justin and after seeing Justin’s lack of skills he had no problem letting him warm the bench for the season. Next it was coaching Eric’s team.  Eric got plenty of play time during games after all the practice with Justin to improve his skills before the season started. Watching college and high school basketball was a thrill for him. He preferred to watch the girls play since they were team players and had better fundamentals. It was even more of an event for anyone sitting near him to hear his colorful language and very loud voice and always an opinion about  the referees’ calls.

While basketball was always his first love, years of playing had taken a toll on his knees so he switched to riding his bicycle, which became his new obsession. After he had both knees replaced, he was back on his bike and ready to go with marathon biking. Did you see this old guy on his white bike with an electric yellow shirt on his 30 mile rides? Or maybe he was out looking for his dream car, an Austin-Healey 2000. How did he bike so far? Maybe it was his extra, extra strong cups of coffee. Liz always got the first smell of the freshly ground beans before the coffee was brewed. Now that’s what I call true love.

Animals seemed to be drawn to Paul, the good Samaritan. At home, he was the one saving the mice that got evicted from the house by escorting them safely to the park. He would save us all from bugs that got into the house by releasing them back outside. Most 4-legged creatures and ones that flew knew him as the “food guy.” Paul always made sure the ducks had feed, the squirrels had their nuts or corn and the birds had seed and sugar water, and most recently he added grape jelly for the bees. There may have even been a few chipmunks that enjoyed his offerings as well. Whether it was at the zoo listening to music at Animal Crackers or feeding the local animals, every animal knew it was Paul by his loud, colorful, tropical shirts. Cats and dogs too numerous to count have called the Nass family house a loving home.

Paul took his last breath at Ascension All Saints Hospital in Racine on October 6th. He was surrounded by Liz, Eric, Justin and his unofficial daughter, Jenny Bass. He was preceded in death by his parents and is survived by his wife Liz, son Justin (Sara) of Janesville, son Eric of Racine, his three grandsons, Eric (Bucky), Kaiden and Anthony, his unofficial daughters Jenny Bass and Danielle Bass Johnson and unofficial son Paul Oakes, brother David, sisters Leona Hauer of Hales Corners and Sylvia (Gene) Kock of Sun Prairie and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation to your favorite charity in his honor. There will be a private service for his family and invited guests.

The family wishes to extend their sincerest gratitude to the South Shore Fire Department and the ICU staff at Ascension Hospital for their professionalism and compassion during a difficult time.