OBITUARY - PAUL M. SEARLS

Submitted by: Leona Johnson, bell_crazy2000 at yahoo dot com

Source: "The Daily News," Longview, Cowlitz Co., WA, 24 Jun 1996

Paul M. Searls, 88, of 1621 Slightly Road, Toutle, died June 21, 1996, at home.
He was born Dec 8, 1907 in Castle Rock, to Hanford G. and Agnes A. (Laroy)
Searls, and lived in Castle Rock until moving to Toutle in 1935.

Mr Searls was logger in the timber industry, including working years for
Weyerhauser Co., and he enjoyed all logging sports. From 1932 to 1952 he was the
world champion at hand bucking, or sawing through a log with a hand saw. 

His most famous feat took place on May 28, 1937, when he and two other loggers
helped dedicate the Golden Gate Bridge by squaring off in a contest to saw
through a 34 inch thick redwood log with a crosscut saw. He won in record time.

His fame led to appearances on radio and television shows such as "You Asked For
It", and "You Bet Your Life". He also enjoyed hunting and fishing, and was a
member of the Castle Rock Masonic Lodge. Survivors include his wife Barbara C.
(Hammel) Searls at home; a daughter Lois Cooper of Silver Lake; two sons,
Mitchell P. Searls of Toutle  and Max K. Searls of McLeese Lake, Brtitish
Columbia, Canada; a sister Esther Fuller of Santa Maria, Calif.; seven
grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m.
Tuesday at the Silver Lake Cemetery with the Rev Lonnie Hamby officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society,
c/o Fred Hemenway, P.O. Box 926, Castle Rock, Wa., 98611