Paul Humler Passes Away

    Paul E. Humler, 83, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 10, 2020, at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis. 
    Mr. Humler was born on Sept. 9, 1936, in Albany, NY, son of Margaret Humler (Daly) and Paul J. Humler. Following his graduation from Cathedral High School in 1954, he joined the Naval Reserve and enrolled in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) to become an aeronautical engineer. After his second semester, Paul (and RPI) decided that maybe RPI wasn't a good fit, so he joined active duty where he worked his way up through the enlisted ranks, eventually achieving the rank of Chief Warrant Officer CWO3. Paul was a Communications Technician with the Naval Security Group and received many commendations and medals including expert rifleman and expert pistol shot. He was on the All-Navy Rifle Team. Paul was an expert linguist and cryptologist. He became a Mandarin Chinese linguist and then an Arabic linguist He was often called to be deployed out to sea, in charge of the "Humler Hut" (a top-secret communications container that would be dropped onto destroyers). Throughout his distinguished Naval career, he was stationed in Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines, and then was joined by Edie when he was stationed in Cyprus, Italy, and Turkey. While in the Navy, he was able to complete his college degree while serving overseas, graduating with honors with a BA in Government from the University of Maryland. He was a member of the Pi Sigma Alpha and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies. In 1974, he retired from the Navy after 20 years, to be at home with his wife and children and took a job with IITRI as a research data analyst until he retired in 1998.
    A man of faith, Paul was an active member of Holy Family Catholic Church in Davidsonville and lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus. For many years, he attended weekly bible study, daily Mass, and sang regularly in the choir. Paul never lost his desire to be on a ship out to sea and both Paul and Edie enjoyed many long cruises, including two world cruises. His favorite activities on land involved listening to opera, watching his favorite premier league soccer team Tottenham, smoking a cigar on his "deer stand", and spending time with his family. He loved their condo in Ocean City, MD where he would enjoy sitting on the balcony watching his grandchildren on the beach, and enjoying a beer and cigar with his son Paul, Jr and son-in-law Phil.
    Paul was preceded in death by his son Michael "Mike" Humler and daughter-in-law Patricia "Patty" (Greenwald) Humler. He is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Edith "Edie" R. (Smith) Humler; his children, Paul Humler, Jr. and Kathryn "Kathy" Carino and son-in-law Phillip ("Phil") Carino; and five grandchildren, Kaitlyn Carino, Nathan Carino, Seth Humler, Mason Humler, and Julia Humler. Paul will be remembered for his extinguished Navy career, his faith, his amazing tenor voice, great sense of humor, love of opera, and most fondly by his grandchildren as their loving and supportive (and always interesting) "Pop-Pop".
    Friends are invited to celebrate Paul's life at Holy Family Catholic Church, 826 W. Central Ave., Davidsonville, MD on Tuesday, March 17 from 10 am until his Mass of Christian Burial begins at 11 am. Interment Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church Cemetery, Owensville, MD. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Catholic Relief Services, P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21297 or Fisher House Foundation, 12300 Twinbrook Pkwy., Suite 410, Rockville, MD 20852.