As Barbara Willman was looking through the various cards and letters sent to her husband Paul, some of the words that people used to describe him were caring, inspirational, and that he has a great smile.
Paul Willman, an associate pastor at Morningstar church in Bechtelsville, has recently been named Boyertown’s Citizen of the Year.
However, Paul isn’t the kind of man who wants the glitz of an award or public recognition.
“He doesn’t look for recognition; he’s a behind the scenes kind of guy. He does what is needed to help other people, that’s just who he is and what he does.” said Barbara.
Paul began serving at Morningstar as a youth pastor, and later became an associate pastor. .He has also served on the board of the Multi-Service Center and the Boyertown YMCA. These are only some of the ways he has served the community– he could often be seen changing oil for single women, or helping a neighbor with house repairs.
He has been on many mission trips with the church as well- traveling multiple times to provide relief for hurricane Katrina, as well as Peru, Ecuador, and Guatemala where he helped rebuild villages.
Unfortunately, Paul suffered from a stroke in February of 2016 that left him unable to speak or function normally. He now walks with a cane, and relies heavily on his wife.
“He was always the one who took care of everything, now I’ve had to step into that role and have had to learn about cars and all kinds of things that he took care of.” said Barbara.
Barbara mentions that most of her time outside of work is taking care of Paul, and has learned much from the setback.
“Roles have reversed, and I think when you go through an experience like this you learn what really is important – spending time with one another, taking care of each other – it kind of puts things in perspective.”
Paul’s stroke, however, does not stop him from working at Morningstar and attending services.
His wife mentions that the church has supported them in ways she could never have thought. Church members will often drive him to places, help him complete his exercises, and even take him out to breakfast.
“The church really has been our lifeline,” said Barbara. “There have been so many people that come out to help. They’ve been a true family, and have done more than one could ask.”
While Paul’s stroke has made it more difficult for him to serve others, the church and the community have given back.
“We’ve learned what it feels like to be the receivers, rather than the givers. We were always on the other side. That was difficult.”
The Boyertown community will honor Paul’s achievements at the Boyertown Citizen of the Year Award Banquet on Saturday, April 22, held at the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles.
