Obituary of Paul Nicholas Kapnicky

Paul Nicholas Kapnicky, 92, of Morgantown passed away in Englewood, Fl, on Monday, March 18, 2019, from complications of a fall.

He was born January 30, 1927 in Uniontown, PA. He was preceded in death by parents Nicholas Kapnicky and Catherine Varnick Kapnicky; first wife, Iris Kelly Kapnicky; and brothers Dr. James Kent and George Kapnicky.

Survived by wife Carol Zollinger Kapnicky, whom he married in 2001; daughter Marsha Wyatt; stepchildren Lisa Bachner (Stephen),  Brenda Yohn (Alex), and Matthew Zollinger; and six grandchildren who brought so much joy to his life: Nicholas A.Yohn, Erika Kathryn Yohn, William D. Bachner, Noah R. Yohn, Hunter M. Zollinger, and Garrett A. Zollinger.

He is also survived by a niece, six nephews, and Godchildren Terri Hartley and Louis Duda; and by Chris Evanto, wife Julie, and children Jesse and Lexy, whom he considered his son and family.

Paul was a graduate of St Francis deSales High School. He was a student at West Virginia University and a member of Sigma Nu fraternity when he was called to serve his country. He was very proud to serve in the US Army in Germany during WWII. After returning from the war, Paul continued his education at WVU and worked alongside his father at Kapnicky's General Store in Jere, where he was also postmaster. Paul was always very proud of his Scott's Run heritage. After his father's death in 1956, he continued to run the store and expanded the business into home remodeling until 1997. During that time his contracting business was responsible for building and remodeling hundreds of homes and commercial buildings in Monongalia and surrounding counties. Paul purchased Mountaineer Golf Course in 1969 and worked tirelessly to expand and beautify the course. In the early 1990's he designed and expanded the course from 9-holes to the current 18. He was looking forward to this, his 50th year of ownership of the course. He was always proud of the business and especially proud of all the young people he hired over the years who went on to create their own success stories. He still loved the Wednesday and Friday scrambles and the clubhouse socialization afterward.

Paul was known for his unfailing work ethic. He never stopped planning and starting new ventures. In 1998, he began making plans to construct homes around the golf course. He and his daughter acquired adjacent land and he worked tirelessly with surveyors, engineers and builders to design and develop Mountaineer Gardens. His wife, Carol, joined in this venture in 2001 and together they developed Mountaineer Woodlands. Both properties are unique developments in the Morgantown area.

Paul was a member of St. Francis deSales Catholic Church. He was always community minded and a 70-year supporter of the Mountaineers. He could always be heard loudly singing the National Anthem and cheering on the Mountaineers on football Saturdays. He was a member of Morgantown Elks #411 and was selected WV Elk of the year in 1989. He had served as Monongalia County Republican Chairman and a member of the Monongalia County Commission. In 1999, he was selected as WV State Golf Course Superintendent of the year, honoring his decades of work and dedication to promoting golf throughout the state. He served as president of the Scott's Run Sewer Board and was instrumental in bringing water and sewage to areas west of Morgantown. Following the death of his first wife, Iris, he founded the Iris Kapnicky Memorial Golf Tournament and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over ten years for the Oncology Unit at Mon General Hospital and established a scholarship fund for nurses there. He has been an active member of the Monongalia General Hospital Foundation Board since 2001, and was also currently serving as president of the Lawnwood Cemetery Association.

Paul loved music and traveling. He was a long-time member of the Beau Monde Dance Club. He and his wife, Carol, traveled extensively and he was always ready for the next new adventure. Although always true Mountaineers, they had spent the last 17 winters in Florida where they were blessed with many new friends.

The family is grateful to Tidewell Hospice House in Englewood, FL for the compassionate and loving care to Paul and Carol during his last days.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Hastings Funeral Home.  Friends and family will be received at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 1 Guthrie Lane, Morgantown, on Sunday, March 24^th from 3-8 PM and again on Monday, March 25^th from 9 AM until the time of the Mass of Christian Burial at 10 AM with Msgr. Anthony Cincinnati, STD, VE as celebrant.  Interment will follow at Lawnwood Cemetery in Morgantown. 

Memorial donations may be made to The Kapnicky Scholarship Fund for Nursing Education at Monongalia General Hospital, 1200 JD Anderson Drive, Morgantown,WV 26505

Send condolences online at www.hastingsfuneralhome.com