Paul Steven Zelas

April 13th, 1958 - May 8th, 2021

Paul's Memory Wall

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Dear Zelas family, I am so sorry to hear about your loss of Paul. He seemed so young at heart and I am sad that he was not granted more years on earth. We just do not know God's plan as to how many years we will be given. I worked with him in the registry room when they needed help bringing in the associate office bags. He and Dan did truly enjoy working with each other and I often heard them "debating" over different issues throughout the years. They could get quite loud at times, but it always made me laugh as I walked by and heard them. They were very fortunate to have had each others friendship for so many years. Paul really liked his registry room job and it sounds as if he enjoyed his position as dock expeditor also, and tried to make the drivers job easier and more comfortable. I'm sure he did a fine job and everyone at the plant will certainly miss him! I retired in 2009, so I did not see him in his new position. I also worked with his father, Gene Zelas, in the 1970's in the letter aisle at Miller Road. He was a very nice man also. I am sorry for your loss of your father and also the loss of your two brothers, Mark and Kent. Please remember that Paul was a caring, hard-working person at the Post Office and we will never forget him. May God comfort you all in the years ahead. I'll be praying for you all. Love in Christ, Patty Bolen

Patricia Bolen

May 16th, 2021 at 8:00pm

We will not be the same without you Paul! We miss you so much, but know you’re in a beautiful place! It’s been an emotional week full of fun memories of you. Sharing margaritas & Mexican food on multiple occasions after hockey, seeing you at my vendor events, Thanksgiving Day Detroit Lions games with you! Mostly my thoughts go to your heartfelt connection towards our family and the way you cared about all of us. Cooper & Chris are very very sad they won’t be skating with you at “Sticks & Pucks” anymore, but know you’ll be watching and taking your famous slapshots anyway. Missing you is an understatement, we were honored to be your chosen friends.... Jane Kesteloot Chris & Cooper Talaga

Jane Kesteloot

May 16th, 2021 at 10:36am

PAUL ZELAS: APRIL 13, 1958 - MAY 8, 2021 Shortly after I retired from the post office on Oct. 3, 2008, I received a Christmas gift, “Reclaiming History - The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy” by Vincent Bugliosi, the District Attorney famous for his prosecution of Charles Manson in the early 1970s. The book weighed over 7 pounds and contained more than a million and a half words, twice as many as contained in the authorized King James Version of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.. “Dear Dan,” read the inscription on the flyleaf, “Happy healthy Retirement! I hope your retirement will last as long as it takes to finish reading this book - at least. All the best! Your Friend, Paul.” I met Paul Zelas at the post office. We worked together on the afternoon shift for my last 13 or 14 years, often in the Registry Room where we made the oddest of couples. He was for Reagan and Bush. I was for Carter and Clinton. He lived and died with his beloved Chicago sports teams and heroes. I cheered for their hated rivals in Detroit. He got much of his information from the Fox News Network and I got mine from MSNBC. He thought Ann Coulter was a brilliant political pundit. I mocked her as a witless caricature of right wing zealotry. I would refute her propaganda with quotes from Keith Olbermann. He would scoff at the wisdom of the MSNBC anchorman. But our political differences were never of the mean spirited kind that dominates American culture today. The parries and thrusts of our daily political debates were always executed with good humor and genuine respect. We both always knew we had far more in common than our differing political opinions. In fact, if not for politics and sports, we would have had nothing to argue about at all. We were both raised in good Catholic families. We both agreed that nobody wrote better newspaper columns than Mike Royko. We both liked John Wayne movies. We both liked the movie “Ace In The Hole.” Paul even wrote a few columns for the local Union paper under that byline when I was the editor. We both were big supporters of the United States military and especially our military veterans. We both were big supporters of our union, the American Postal Workers Union. He thought I was a great fellow. I thought the same about him. We stayed in contact by phone for awhile after I left the post office, then lost touch with each other as friends often do. Every once in awhile I’d bump into someone I knew still working at the post office. When I did I would usually get around to asking about Paul and tell them to say hello to him for me. And every so often I’d tell myself I have to look up Paul’s number and give him a call. But I never did. And now I never will. I’m now about two-thirds of the way through the Kennedy Assassination book. The bookmark sits between pages 1044 and 1045. Which means I’ve got a section about two-thirds the size of the Holy Bible left to read. So I better get going. If Paul knew I’d had 12 years and still hadn’t finished that d - - n book, I’m sure he’d have something funny to say about it. So Rest In Peace,my old friend. You never made it to retirement. You never got to play that ace in the hole you were holding. But I’ll think of you every time I open that book.

Dan Sullivan

May 15th, 2021 at 9:01am

A fun and interesting co-worker during my 32 years at the Post Office. From 60's and 70's music, to sports, politics and everything in between, always an interesting opinion and angle on events, etc. We swapped albums and books back and forth for many years, went to Lions/Bears football games and attended route 66 parties. He used to occasionally tell others that they were "one of nature's noblemen". Back at you, Paul, rest in peace. Mark Cornelius