Paul Allen Corey, 67, passed away peacefully in his home on June 24, 2013. He was surrounded by family and friends through his final days. Paul was loved for his faith and positive outlook on life.
Paul was born on February 1, 1946 in Chicago, IL. He was an entrepreneur throughout his life, but he was best known for originating The Bike Route in 1974 with three locations. After 25 successful years as a businessman, he became a commercial realtor for Bosshardt Realty and then Asset Management, Inc.
He was a devoted family man who was married to Marcey Cushing Corey for 43 years. He is also survived by his two daughters, Brigette Hajduk (Todd) and Cindie Corey (Jackie Moore), grandchildren Sean and Grace Hajduk, his sister Faye Belskey (George) and a large extended family.
He was an active member of Trinity UMC for 37 years, a Vietnam Veteran, a founding member of the Gainesville Fisher House Foundation, a Rotarian, a member of the Elks Club, and a SCORE volunteer.
Paul mentored youth on Trinity mission trips as well as young realtors and new entrepreneurs.
As a liver transplant survivor, Paul volunteered at the VA to work with other transplant patients.
A celebration of life will be held Saturday, June 29th at 1:30pm at Trinity UMC, his home church. In lieu of flowers and gifts, please make a donation to the Gainesville Fisher House Foundation at PO Box 358296 Gainesville, FL 32635 or online at gainesvillefisherhouse.org
To the family of Paul Corey:
I wanted to let you know what an encouragement Paul was to me and my husband. We met Paul through SCORE. He not only gave us sound business advice but he personally helped us by referring us for a small project on one of the buildings he was managing.
I could tell he was a man of faith and sincerely interested in helping our company.
Please accept our sincere condolences for your loss.
Sincerely,
Joy and Dave Gotwalt
Our thought and prayers are with the family. His life will be celebrated by all he helped over the years. We are thankful that we had the opportunity to share several Holidays with Paul and his family.
Marcey and family,
I am so sorry to learn of the loss of Paul. Cathey has talked about him (and all of you) so much, and clearly he was a remarkable man. I am keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers. With deepest sympathy-
Cynthia Hendricks, Minneapolis
To Paul’s family-
I knew Paul through the commercial real estate business and years back through The Bike Route from the time I bought my son his first bike with training wheels and Paul personally helped us, making sure everything was right. Although I didn’t know Paul in his personal life, I had great respect for him in his professional life and many commercial Realtors will miss him.
Sincerely,
Michael Steinberg
To Paul’s Family & Friends-
It seems a lifetime ago as I sit remembering, but the memory has remained fresh and strong thru the years – – – “If you leave now, don’t come back”.
I had come in to work at The Bike Route with a hangover and was quite sick really. Paul, being Paul, noted that I was sick, assumed that I had the flu or something and was his compassionate self. I think he offered to give me a ride home, but that part of the memory has faded. A ride home would have been normal, as Paul had sometimes picked me up for work and dropping me off afterwards at my parents home since I was 16 years old.
Paul delivered the above mentioned ultimatum, after I told him it was a wild night rather than the flu that had layed me low. We were in the shop at University and 13th, not that long after the move up from south 13th. He also shared a few other thoughts for context, some drawn from his experience in Vietnam. I heard them all, really heard them, because he had earned my trust and respect and because he had been busy translating, through the work life we shared, all that my parents were trying to say but I could no longer hear as a teenager. I didn’t leave that day and Paul has never left me.
I was lucky to find Paul and to have his help while transitioning into my own life as a man. He stands second only to my father in the impact he had. I will remember him for his fidelity, his work-ethic and his humor. Above all, I will remember and honor the compassion he showed to others, including myself.
Please know that Paul and all of you are in my thoughts. Knowing Paul was a gift that I will carry all my days.
With Deepest Sympathy,
Bob Bond, Salida, CO
Marcey,
I am so sorry for your loss. May the memories of the many years you spent with such a special man comfort, you along with the support of your daughters and the many friends who love you. Vicki
As part of the Trinity family, Emmaus, watching parades atop the Bike Route, your special friendship with Pete and a Brother In Arms; Taps has sounded for this good and honorable man. Rest in the arms of the Lord now and forever. David, Kathy, Lori and Jamie.
Paul and Marcey Corey have been and always will be a big influence on my life. The Corey’s were gracious enough to invite me into their business and personal lives when working at the Bike Route while attending the University of Florida nearly 25 years ago, and very dear friends ever since.
His entrepreneurial spirit, leadership, attention to detail, compassion, passion for life, commitment to family, and great sense of humor are all things he instilled in all of the lives he touched especially the young people that had the opportunity to learn the business from him.
Mike, Justin, Dennis, Foye, and I who have successful careers in the bike industry owe that to our time with Paul and Marcey.
I will have countless fond memories of Paul that will bring a smile to my face: from rules of perpetual motion on the sales floor at the Bike Route, making Paul’s signature pizzas, epic leg wrestling battles, watching Hogan’s Heroes after lunch at the office, learning about the infamous Burrito Bros menu, learning the finer details of tailgating protocol, or fighting for the remote control or the best spot for sleeping on the couch at the Corey residence. All great, great times….:)
The countless lives he positively influenced will be Paul’s greatest legacy…from his wife, girls, and grandkids – to his employees and customers from years in the bike business, youth church trips, real estate, and rooting for his beloved Florida Gators.
Miss you Big Shooter, Go Gators.
I don’t know what it was about my relationship with Paul, but we just clicked. I was a kid in college who wanted to be in the bike industry and he let me in. It wasn’t for the bike mechanic job I applied for though, which would later become a shop-wide joke – the fact that at the time I knew nothing about fixing bikes and shouldn’t be trusted with a wrench. What I could do, however, was sell – and selling things I loved (bikes) made the job easy for me. Somewhere along the way I earned the nickname of “the closer” and based on what Marcey told me – was one of a few who was allowed to call him Paully. I worked hard for Paully, selling bikes and doing everything he asked to help grow the business. Over the years we both respected each other a great deal, and after I graduated and moved away, we kept in touch and became friends.
I visited him and Marcey in Gainesville many times over the years, and he helped keep me thinking positively when I was laid-off in 2007. Not long after, I learned of the transplant he needed. Interestingly enough, God works in mysterious ways, as the location for his transplant happened to be in my (then) hometown of Richmond, VA. My girls and I were there to support him, and were glad that everything went well.
There are no words that can describe how I felt when I learned that Paully was in his last weeks. I’ll miss him dearly and will have him in my thoughts for the rest of my life.
To Paul’s Family:
I worked with Paul on a number of transactions in the commercial real estate world and always thoroughly enjoyed doing so. He always answered the phone when you called and was always willing to help. He had a great smile and was always upbeat. He was also very well respected for his perseverance through past health issues and still came back to the field to perform. The real estate world will miss him dearly. Wonderful man.
Sincerely,
Beau Beery
Owner/Broker
Coldwell Banker M.M. Parrish
Just wanted you to know I have been thinking of you and pray that God will be with you and give you comfort!
Virginia
Thousands and thousands and thousands of miles ago, Paul sold me my first real bike, and let me pay it off about ten bucks a week back when I had about ten extra bucks a week. RIP, Paul, and thanks for the bike.