Peter Paul

Peter Paul, beloved husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, teacher, coach, and friend, passed away surrounded by family on October 15, 2025 at the age of 79. A man defined by faith, family, and service to others, as a devoted husband, a caring father and grandfather, a respected educator, a beloved coach, and a lifelong mentor to so many.

Born in Hamburg, Germany in 1945, Peter emigrated to the United States with his family as a young boy, ultimately settling on the north side of Chicago. He was raised by his parents, Ursula (née Rumpf) and Peter Paul Sr., alongside his sister Eva. A bright student and standout athlete, Peter attended Immaculate Conception School and went on to become a three-sport varsity athlete in high school, excelling in basketball, football, and baseball.

Faith was always at the heart of Peter's life. After high school, he briefly studied for priesthood before following a different calling: education. He put himself through college, beginning at Northwestern University and earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Loyola University (Chicago) in German and Spanish language studies with a minor in History.

Peter dedicated nearly 5 decades to teaching and coaching at Benet Academy in Lisle, Illinois. From 1969 to 2016, he was a beloved and “old-school” high school teacher of German, Spanish, and History, and served for many years as the foreign language department chair. He coached girls’ softball and sophomore basketball before taking the helm as varsity girls basketball coach from 1985 to 2014. Over 30 seasons, Peter amassed an extraordinary varsity record of 617 wins and 261 losses, leading his teams to 18 regional titles, 4 sectional titles, 1 super-sectional win, and 1 coveted Elite 8 appearance.

But his impact extended far beyond the classroom or court. Peter was a mentor, guide, and role model who shaped generations of students and athletes not only with his knowledge and skill, but with patience, wisdom, humor, and heart. His influence can still be felt in the lives of those he taught and coached, many of whom still lovingly call him ‘Herr Paul’, ‘Seńor Paul’, and ‘Coach Paul’.

Peter met the love of his life, Laurie Paul (née Budzinski), while working at Walgreens in the late 1960s. They married in July 1973 and built a strong and everlasting partnership over 46 years until Laurie’s passing in 2019. Together, they raised two sons: Peter Paul and Michael Paul (Lindsay) and later became proud grandparents to granddaughters Olivia Anne and Nora Grace. His devotion to family was at the core of everything he did. Whether coaching his sons in local sports leagues, cheering them on from the sidelines, collecting sports cards together, or simply spending time at home or on family vacations, Peter was a present and loving father.

He was a loyal son to his mother, Ursula Paul, whom he visited weekly and supported faithfully, especially in her later years. He was a caring brother to Eva Bode (Herbert), and a proud uncle to Amy Hampton (Chris) and Al Wagner.

Outside of school and sports, Peter was a man of many interests. He loved music across all genres, rock, blues, country, gospel and was rarely far from a radio. A devoted Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bulls fan, Peter loved watching games, playing golf with close friends (earning him the nickname “Señor Par Tres”), and collecting sports memorabilia. He remained active in the community throughout his life, coaching youth teams at St. Scholastica Parish in Woodridge and through the Woodridge Park District, where he shared his passion for faith, life, and sports with the next generation.

Peter’s life was defined by integrity, service, and humility. He always gave his best to his students, his players, his friends, his colleagues and most of all, his family. He will be remembered for his integrity, grace, kindness, strength, sense of humor, intellect, humility, discipline, perseverance and devotion to the people and values he held dear.

Peter is preceded in death by his wife, Laurie Paul, and his father, Peter Paul Sr. He is survived by his sons, Peter and Michael (Lindsay), his grandchildren Olivia and Nora, his mother Ursula, his sister Eva, and his extended family and many former students, players, and friends.

A memorial visitation will be held on Saturday November 15, 2025 from 1:00pm until 3:00pm, with a chapel prayer service to begin at 3:00pm promptly followed by moments of reflection at 3:30pm.