Paul Anthony Storer

Paul Anthony Storer Tribute from Memory Productions LLC on Vimeo.

Our dear husband, father, son, brother, friend, and WWU faculty colleague, Paul Anthony Storer, passed away peacefully surrounded by family in his Bellingham, Washington home on Saturday, November 28, 2015. He was 55 years old.

Paul was born July 13, 1960 to Aaron Ralph Storer and Mary Storer in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England and moved with his parents and younger siblings, Roger Storer and Ann (Storer) Kelly, to Brockville, Ontario, Canada, in 1966. From an early age, Paul looked at life as a mystery to be solved, curious about all things. This worldview lent itself well to the life of an academic so, after graduating from the University of Toronto with a BA and MA in economics, and working as an economist at the Bank of Canada, he decided to pursue a PhD in economics at the University of Western Ontario.

Paul met and married Tina (Koivuhalme) Storer, his devoted wife of 31 years, while both were University of Toronto students. Their daughter, Leah, who now works for Deloitte Consulting LLP in Arlington, Virginia, was born in London, Ontario, in 1989, while Paul wrote his PhD dissertation. Their son, Nick, who now works for TruLife Engineered Solutions in Bellingham, was born in Montréal, Québec, in 1994, while Paul worked as an economics professor (teaching in French) at the Université du Québec à Montréal.

Paul moved with his family to Bellingham in 1996 to join the faculty of the Economics Department at Western Washington University. His teaching and research interests included macroeconomics, money and banking, labor, and Canadian economic policy and issues. His research focused on Canada-US business and economic relations and cross-border integration with support from WWU’s Border Policy Research Institute. He has numerous publications to his credit, most notably as co-author of The Impacts of 9/11 on Canada-U.S. Trade with Steven Globerman and the 13th U.S. edition of an introductory economics textbook by Lipsey, Ragan, and Storer. He shared his economic expertise with numerous community groups over the years, including annual presentations for almost 20 years at the STUDY CANADA Summer Institute for K-12 Educators offered by WWU’s Center for Canadian-American Studies. He greatly enjoyed his years as a professor at WWU and appreciated the support and friendship shown by colleagues, students, and administrators.

Paul’s status as an esteemed professor, researcher, author, and student mentor was well-deserved. In 1997, 2001, 2004, 2006, and 2015, he received a CBE Dean's Research Award and in 2004, the university’s Excellence in Teaching Award. He also served as editor of the Northwest Journal of Business and Economics from 2001 through 2005 and as a member of the board of directors of the Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Conference (PNREC) until symptoms of Multiple System Atrophy made it too difficult to maintain that role.

Paul loved to read, hike, mountain bike, travel with his family, spend time with friends, and walk with his beloved dog, Dixie. Even in his final days, he continued to explore new places and revisit old favorites. Paul was a remarkably kind man who always put the needs of others first and his loved ones above all. His immediate family in Bellingham and extended family in Canada, California, Michigan, Florida, England, Sweden, and Finland will miss him forever.

Paul and his family thank the doctors and Signature Home Health workers in Bellingham who extended his quality of life. At Paul’s request, there will be no service. In lieu of sending flowers to the family home, Paul would wish that you hug your family members close and, and, if wished donate to WWU at https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1710/campaign/index.aspx?sid=1710&gid=2&pgid=467&cid=1175 or your favorite charity.

NB: Be sure to indicate that you wish your donation be directed to the "Paul Storer Memorial Fund". It has been established at WWU to support an annual talk by a scholar on the state of Canada-US economic relations and to support student participation in the annual Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Conference (PNREC). Both honor Paul's legacy. Check contributions that reference the "Paul Storer Memorial Fund" can be mailed to:        Attn: Tim Szymanowski

The Western Foundation,
Old Main 430, MS 9034
516 High Street
Bellingham, Washington 98225