Paul A. Duval

Formerly of Watertown, Massachusetts, Paul Duval died on June 24 in a rappelling accident near Moonlight Ridge, Custer, South Dakota.

Mistaking the mark near the end of a rope for the center mark, he fell to the ground.

Paul was born in Boston, raised in Allston and graduated from Boston Technical High School in 1954. He had degrees from Wentworth Institute and Northeastern University, and a master’s degree from Boston University. As a young man he was an avid motorcycle racer.

As a member of the U.S. Army Signal Corp, he spent his military service in Europe and was honorably discharged in 1962. He returned to Boston in 1964 after working for two years in Paris as an engineer.

He lived there with his wife Marie-Françoise, and baby daughter Nathalie.

Paul spent his professional career as a dedicated high-school teacher in the Boston Public School System. He taught at Boston Technical, Charlestown and Madison Park high schools, and spent many of his summers as a camp counselor in Maine.

He was a longtime member of the Appalachian Mountain Club and very active as a rock-climbing instructor. His climbing experience included excursions to Europe, Africa and Mexico, and all over North America.

Through Paul’s gift of time and equipment, numerous local children in Hidalgo, Mexico, were able to enjoy the freedom of rock climbing that would have been nearly impossible without him. Paul was a role model for all in our climbing community. In his 70s he was climbing as strongly as ever. On his 70th birthday, with his friend Rick “Cowboy” Ross, Paul sent seven 5.10s to celebrate. He loved life, and all that surrounded him. He is survived by his wife, Karen Hargrave.

—Simeon Heimowitz