Paul was born on Aug. 18, 1958, in Belmond, Iowa, to loving parents Bernard and Harriet (Anderson) Halfpop. In 1959, the family moved to Albert Lea, Minnesota. After five years, they moved again to Fairmont, Minn. While growing up in Fairmont, Paul was very involved in his Boy Scouts troop; he earned the rank of Eagle Scout and received a Bronze Eagle Palm. He was also selected to be a member of the Order of the Arrow. In his free time, Paul loved drawing, painting, and building model train sets with his dad. Paul also enjoyed frequent trips to Iowa to visit his grandparents’ farms.

Paul graduated from Fairmont High School in 1977. While in high school, he worked various construction jobs, pouring concrete and doing general carpentry. He was also on the men’s gymnastics team and the golf team. After high school, he started his college career at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn. Paul would ride saddle bronc in the summers and attended Jim Shoulders’ rodeo school for several years. An injury put an end to Paul’s rodeo career, but his love for the sport endured.

Interested in a pre-veterinary program and a “cowboy” school, Paul left Minn. for Bozeman, Mont., in 1980. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from “The” Montana State University in 1984. While in college, Paul considered a career as a veterinarian and would intern with several doctors. Then, to make a living on the side, he loved to “play cowboy” for various local ranches in the Bozeman area. However, he quickly realized that being a cowboy wasn’t the greatest money-making venture and would alternate between working construction jobs and cowboying.

As a graduate student at MSU, Paul went on to teach Animal Science 101 and artificial insemination and pregnancy testing for the advanced Animal Science classes. Paul was also involved in some animal nutrition research studies. Impressed with Paul’s love of cowboying, one of his research professors, Dr. Ray Ansotegui, provided him an opportunity to intern with him at the state “prison ranch” and work with the Cowboy Crew; this was one of Paul’s favorite things to tell stories about. Paul went on to achieve his teaching certificate from MSU and began his career as a substitute teacher in Bozeman. This is when Paul’s love for teaching sparked, and would later become his life’s mission in bettering the world around him.

Paul wasn’t ready to end his adventures just yet, so he took a job with Skyland Scientific as a pharmaceutical validation technician, which allowed him to travel around the US and Europe. In 1990, Paul met the love of his life, Tami Ruhl, in Bozeman, and they were married on June 22, 1991. In the same year, Paul left Skyland and went to work for Amgen as an independent contractor for eight years.

Paul continued to travel the country for work and would adventure around Bozeman with Tami. They happily enjoyed each other’s company, and on Oct. 5, 1997, they welcomed into their lives a beautiful daughter, Nicole Ann. From that point on, Paul was wrapped around Nicole’s little finger and looked for a job that would allow him to spend more time at home with his family. This led to Paul accepting a teaching position at Hardin High School in Hardin, Mont., in 1999. During his teaching years, Paul taught freshman science and senior physics (his favorite). He later went on to achieve his Master of Science in Education from Montana State University in 2008. After 26 years, Paul retired from teaching on May 30, 2025.

Paul loved the outdoors and embraced nature’s beauty, where he went on to recreate it in many bronze sculptures, one of his most loved hobbies. He was also an avid sportsman and shared his love for the outdoors with the next generation, volunteering with both Hunter Education and 4-H shooting sports, though we all knew it was just an excuse to bring home another gun.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Harriet Halfpop

Paul is survived by his father Bernard Halfpop, wife Tami, daughter Nicole (McKade) Halfpop-Mahlen, many beloved family and friends, and his loyal dog Baxter.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Big Horn County Historical Museum in Hardin, Mont.

Cremation has taken place. A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 12, at the Big Horn County Fairgrounds, 118 Sawyer Loop, Hardin, Mont. 59034.

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