THOMASTON - Paul G. Benner, 33, died unexpectedly, while doing what he loved, 'working on the water', Thursday, January 4, 2018, at Long Cove in St. George.

Born in Rockport, June 6, 1984, he was the son of Thurin G. and Elizabeth Waldron Benner. Paul's first home was in St. George, where Paul began school at Guilford Butler School in South Thomaston. He later moved with his Mom to Union, where he attended D.R. Gaul School.

While a student at that school, Paul found his '15 minutes of fame,' when while drinking from an army canteen he had received as a gift, his tongue became stuck in the entrance to that canteen. The ensuing ambulance ride to the hospital, and cutting off of the canteen by a hospital surgeon, made its way to the popular TV Show, 'Rescue 911'.

Paul later attended Appleton Village School and ultimately graduated from Camden-Rockport High School.

Having worked on the water since a young age, both clamming and sterning for local lobstermen, Paul continued in his love of the sea as a commercial fisherman, primarily out of New Bedford, Massachusetts. He most enjoyed scalloping.

For the past several years, in addition to fishing, he worked with his cousin, Nate at Benner Tree Service.

He loved growing up on 'The Pond', Sennebec Lake in Appleton, where he particularly enjoyed swimming, four-wheeling, fishing and hunting with his PaPa, William 'Bill' Waldron, Sr.

He was an avid and accomplished deer hunter.

Paul was always a hard worker, a friend to anyone he met, and would do anything for anyone.

He was looking forward to building a house next summer, and had sawn much of the lumber for that venture.

Paul is survived by his mother, Elizabeth 'Beth' Stambaugh and her husband, Mark, of Appleton; his father, Thurin G. Benner, of St. George; his companion of more than seven years, Jodi Young, of Thomaston; three sisters, Nichole Moose and her husband, Jacob, of Thomaston, Jennica Sawyer and her husband, Mitchell, and Samantha Benner, all of St. George; nieces and nephew Lilly, Gracie, Autumn, Oliver, and Annibelle, as well as many aunts, uncles, and cousins, both paternal and maternal.

A Celebration of Paul's life will be held at 1 p.m., Thursday, January 18, 2018, at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland. Pastor Mark Holden of Union Church of the Nazarene will officiate. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to the Fisherman's Memorial Fund, C/O Town of St. George, P.O. Box 131, St. George, ME 04857. Please write 'In Memory of Paul Benner' on check. To share a memory or story with Paul's family, please visit their online Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com.