Local school’s safety officer for 30 years remembered as ‘guy that everybody loved’

Paul Fu’a hated coffee.

But in 2003, he forced himself to drink it every morning for six months straight just so he could have a conversation with an art teacher at the middle school where he worked, who he later married.

“I just truly believe that I had met my soulmate. We changed each other’s lives. We were such a good team,” Alison Fu’a said. “We were just perfect together.”

The two married in 2006.

Paul Fu’a worked at Lakeridge Middle School in Bonney Lake for nearly 30 years as a campus safety officer. He monitored school hallways and surroundings, and ensured over 700 students were safe.

He passed away unexpectedly March 31 after he collapsed on a hike.

From April 4-8, students and staff honored Paul Fu’a by wearing floral clothing and writing notes on posters. Principal Toby Udager said they wanted to create a space for students to process his passing as well as give their farewell wishes.

“It was so heartwarming,” Alison Fu’a said. “I knew that he touched a lot of lives, but you don’t really understand until somebody’s gone just the impact that they really did have on people.”

Paul Fu’a was 58 years old. He was born on Feb. 18, 1964 and raised in California. He spent his late teenage years in American Samoa and joined the U.S. Army after graduating high school.

He served for 12 years and was last stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord or Fort Lewis at the time. Alison Fu’a said he worked a couple of odd jobs until he landed his position at Lakeridge Middle School.

The Fu’as both have adult children from previous marriages. Paul Fu’a has two sons and one daughter and Alison Fu’a has two sons. Altogether, they have six grandchildren and one on the way, she said.

Paul Fu’a had the best sense of humor, Alison Fu’a said. She recalled times when they would bust out dance moves in the middle of a grocery store when music came on. He was a loyal and honest person, and he was always present in people’s lives, she said.

“He was just that guy that everybody loved,” Alison Fu’a said. “He made everybody laugh, and he made everybody always feel welcome.”

Udager started working with Paul Fu’a in 2004. They considered each other partners, working to maintain a positive and safe environment at school, Udager said. Paul Fu’a would often make it a priority to check in with students, he said.

Fu’a’s wife said he paid close attention to how students were feeling, which made it easy for him to connect with them.

Paul Fu’a also helped with a classic school tradition that involves root beer floats, Udager said. Paul Fu’a and other school staff would go around the school, giving a root beer float to the student of the week.

When the pandemic put a halt on in-person learning, Paul Fu’a helped create short, funny skits to send to students online, Udager said. One skit involved him reminding students to keep washing their hands.

Paul Fu’a knew how to put a smile on people’s faces, Udager said. He would frequently wear a SpongeBob SquarePants costume during lunchtime or when he went on his root beer float run, he said.

Paul Fu’a will be remembered for his generosity, Udager said. There was a time one of the custodians mentioned that they walked to and from school due to a transportation issue. Fu’a showed up to work the following week with a bike.

“He was the heart and soul of our school,” Udager said. “He just really shined a light on how to be kind, doing the right thing and taking care of other people.”

This story was originally published April 17, 2022 at 5:00 AM.

Angelica Relente

The News Tribune

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Angelica Relente covers topics that affect communities in East Pierce County. She started as a news intern in June 2021 after graduating from Washington State University. She is also a member of Seattle’s Asian American Journalists Association. She was born in the Philippines and spent the rest of her childhood in Hawaii.