On Nov. 26, 2020, Paul Clifton Bayless departed this life at Friendship Village Care Center, Columbus. He was 85 years old. Paul was born in Logan County on Nov. 25, 1935, the youngest child of Harvey S. and Olivia Hill Bayless.
After graduating from West Mansfield High School in 1953, Paul attended The Ohio State University where he received his Bachelors in Industrial Engineering (Summa Cum Laude) in 1966, and his M.S, in Industrial Engineering in 1970. After graduating from Ohio State, in addition to participating in post-graduate study at Purdue University, Paul worked as Facilities Analyst in the office of Schedules and Space, and was eventually appointed as Purdue University’s Director of Affirmative Action when that office was formed in 1978.
He retired from Purdue in 1993 and accepted an appointment on the Indiana University-Purdue University campus in Indianapolis.
Paul retired from IUPUI in 1999. After retirement, Paul did consulting, and worked in collaboration with others, to compile and analyze workforce data for employers in public sector, private sector, and higher education.
Paul has received numerous academic honors and awards including: Tau Beta Pi national engineering honorary, Alpha Pi Mu industrial engineering honorary, and Phi Kappa Phi national honorary. He was Phi Kappa Phi Director of Fellowships from 1989 to 1992. Paul also served as Division Signal Officer in the Ohio Army National Guard from 1960 to 1967 and on the Indiana Governor’s Affirmative Action Advisory Council from 1982 to 1996.
As an enthusiastic traveler, Paul looked forward to, and took every opportunity to visit most of the United States and many countries around the world. After retirement, Paul returned to Columbus and became a resident at Friendship Village Retirement Community where he was very active and served a term as Resident Council President. He also attended Advent United Church of Christ as long as his health permitted.
He is survived by his brother, Robert Gordon (Edna) Bayless of Canton, Georgia; sister-in–law, Ernestine Bayless of Columbus; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Chester, Harvey Jr., Willis, Joseph and Norris Bayless and sisters Emma Pickrum, Blossom Bell, and Ellen Louise Corley.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Friendship Village for their support and care during Paul’s long struggle with Parkinson’s Disease, Capitol City Hospice for their end of life care, and Marcia Strall of Elder Life Solutions Ltd. for her years of dedicated and compassionate management of Paul’s health care.
In lieu of funeral services, and to honor Paul’s character, we ask that donations be made, in his name, to the Friendship Village Benevolent Fund, 5800 Forest Hills Blvd, Columbus, OH 43231.