Paul Carpino, 96, long-time resident of Pagosa Springs, passed away on Nov. 10, 2023, with his wife of nearly 74 years, Lorrie, by his side. Paul was born in Hartford, Conn., to Sicilian immigrant parents. Paul served in the Navy in 1945 and sailed around the Arctic Circle and as far south as Antarctica. He later married Lorraine Colvert on Feb. 16, 1950, and immediately moved to Missoula, Mont., where they raised five children. Paul had just received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Montana, where he attended to receive his MA in social work, in late September for his amazing lifetime commitment for advocating welfare benefits for single mothers, the homeless, poverty-stricken individuals and the Native American population. He was also involved in various human rights organizations throughout Montana, Wyoming, Utah and across Colorado. One of his most amazing feats was to Run for Peace, running across the entire United States promoting peace and raising funds to send diplomats to Russia to promote peace between the two countries. He also was a leader in the fight against the MX missile projects in Utah. His literary works are now in the University of Utah libraries. His years of activism can be accessed in the archives under the “Paul Carpino Papers” collection.
Later in life, Paul settled in Pagosa, and owned and operated Paul Carpino Realty for more than 25 years, concentrating on land in the Lost Valley of the San Juans. He dearly loved the mountains around Pagosa. Paul had an adventurous spirit and was an avid traveler, incorporating his understanding of other cultures and class structures in his daily lifestyle. He was a Navy veteran, smokejumper in Montana in the ‘50s, avid reader and swimmer, alpine and Nordic skier, marathon runner and hiker, and is mostly known for his daily fishing in Lake Pagosa.
He is survived by his wife, Lorrie (Yia Yia) and five children: Lynne (Dr. Rick Hutton), Cathy, Paul Jr. (Cinda), Betsy (Dr. Jim Pruitt), John (Luanne), local grandsons Trevor and Tyson Peterson, 13 additional grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
We miss you so much, Papa. Rest in peace. Please plant a tree or donate to your favorite charity in his name.
