Paul Thomas Guyette, a creative painter, ceramic artist and golfing enthusiast from Cross Plains, Wisconsin passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack on July 4, 2022 with his loving family at his side.
Paul was born Nov. 5, 1952 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, one of ten children of Paul R. Guyette and Mary Ann Elizabeth (Wilson) Guyette. Paul lived in the Madison area for more than 30 years after spending his childhood in Fond du Lac, WI, Cleveland, OH, and Appleton, WI. He attended Roosevelt Junior High School in Appleton and graduated from Appleton East High School where he was a varsity football and basketball player and also excelled in fine arts.
Paul attended UW-Madison to pursue an Art degree while also helping to build his family’s clothing business in Appleton. For several years after college Paul lived in the Southwest and during this time he worked, studied, and developed much of his philosophy regarding life and the world.
In 1980 Paul launched his own business, Guyette’s Wallpaper and Painting. Clients across the Madison area knew Paul as a highly skillful, dependable, and thoroughly enjoyable contractor with a ready smile and a contagious laugh.
In 1996 Paul married Michele Smith, an American Sign Language teacher in Madison. The couple lived in a converted barn house in Cross Plains where Paul built his business and where daughter Madeline was born. Paul was a dedicated father, volunteering for arts programs and field trips at Madeline's schools. With the help of his brother Peter’s excellent carpentry skills, they built a treehouse in the backyard to rival the Taj Mahal. Because Paul was a collector of unique and wonderful things, these items were incorporated into many of his projects. Paul's family loved spending time together and traveling on spontaneous road trips. Friends were often included in family activities and many a night was spent in a rousing game of dominos.
Paul was a big Packers, Bucks, Brewers, and Badgers fan and an avid and highly accomplished golfer who liked to share his passion for golf with others. Paul liked to refine and improve his golf game whenever time permitted and as much as he enjoyed striving to shoot scratch golf or better he equally enjoyed teaching golf and encouraging others to play the game.
Paul lived life with enthusiasm and a sense of wonder and adventure. Wherever he went, Paul brought kindness, passion, and a supportive can-do spirit. He understood the Law of Impermanence and his meditation practices were very important to him. Paul was very patient, and he was generous with his time and talents. Paul was all about being present and positive with the best of intentions in every activity he undertook every day. Paul will be greatly missed by his family and the many, many friends he made during his lifetime.
Paul is survived by wife Michele Guyette (Smith) and daughter Madeline Guyette (Cross Plains, WI), sisters Julie Guyette (St. Francis, WI), Mary Guyette-Gerth (Cedarburg, WI), and Anne Eisch (Neenah, WI), brothers Philip Guyette (Madison, WI), and Joseph Guyette (Titusville, FL) along with relatives Kiah and Alix Root-Thompson (Westerville, Ohio). Paul is preceded in death by his parents Paul R. Guyette and Mary Ann Guyette, his brothers Peter Guyette, Michael Guyette, Mark Guyette, and sister Christine Harris (Guyette).
A celebration of Paul’s life will be held on September 3rd at the Guyette barn.