1940-2026
Paul David “PD” Esh, 85, went to live in the presence of the Lord on July 27, 2026. He was born November 9, 1940, to Harold and Lucetta Esh on the family farm in Cable, Ohio. PD was the only son among their six children.
He grew up working on his family’s farm. PD graduated from Salem High School in 1959, where he enjoyed playing on the basketball team his senior year. Following graduation, he attended Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana. While at Goshen, he met and fell in love with his future wife, Mary Lehman. They married August 18, 1962.
After they married, he began working as a surgical orderly at a hospital in Elkhart, Indiana, while Mary finished her teaching degree. When Mary began teaching, PD went back and finished his degree in social work. They stayed and worked in Goshen for a couple of years before moving to Detroit, Michigan, after which they completed several years of Voluntary Service in Harlan County, Kentucky through Mennonite Central Committee. There, PD worked as an assistant administrator at Clover Fork Clinic, where underserved patients received medical care.
In 1973, PD and Mary moved with their children to the West Liberty area. PD worked at Adriel for 30 years, where he began as an activity therapist and went on to be the maintenance supervisor. In this position, he was responsible for repairing things, mowing the hills, and working with the students. He enjoyed helping the students learn how to work and manage their relationships with others. He made many wonderful lifelong connections with a number of his colleagues there. PD also served as a volunteer firefighter with West Liberty for 20 years, where he retired as a lieutenant.
Following his retirement from Adriel, he enjoyed working for Logan Lawn and Landscaping, keeping equipment working as well as doing some mowing. One of his favorite activities was baling hay for some of his farming friends. Wherever he lived, he would connect with farmers he could help in the field. He loved living in the valley where he could see the farm fields all around. He enjoyed watching the farmers plant and tend to their fields and would often express to others his fascination with how the seeds from the corn tassels would drop down into the leaves and develop into ears of corn.
Always an avid reader, PD would often be found with a book or Reader’s Digest in his hands in the evenings with several other books and periodicals close by for his perusal. He was always supportive of their grandchildren, the activities they were involved in, their schooling, and their occupations. In return, they loved and respected him, and each of them helped care for him at some point in the last few months of his life.
PD had a very strong faith in Jesus and His teachings, which was evident in how he cared for and accepted everyone. He was a member of Oak Grove Mennonite Church where he grew up. He passed away at home after being cared for by his wife for many years as the dementia slowly diminished his ability to care for himself. While his wish was to die on a tractor, we hope he has a tractor to drive in Heaven surrounded by beautiful fields of sweet-smelling hay.
PD is survived by his wife, Mary, their two children, Eric Esh and Kari (Alan) Regier, and four grandchildren, Katelyn and Daniel Esh and Jacob (Caleb Harada) and Alyse Regier, along with his sisters Lydia King, Ruth Esh, and Effie Sullenberger. He was predeceased by his parents and two of his sisters (Jeannie Nafziger and Joanne Histand).
The family would like to extend a special thank you to Universal Home Health and Hospice for all of the excellent care they gave to PD and his family. PD’s body was donated to Wright State University.
A Celebration of Life will be held later in the fall.
