Paul Wesley Gingrich

Paul Wesley Gingrich, 61, of Jefferson City, Missouri passed away on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at St. Luke’s Hospice House in Kansas City, Missouri, after a four-year illness with a rare form of appendiceal cancer.

He was born July 26, 1964, to Wesley Gingrich (deceased) and Ada (Klostermayer) Gingrich in Boonville, Missouri.  He was a 1982 graduate of Boonville High School.  He attended the University of Missouri-Columbia where he met the love of his life, Carol Gingrich, and obtained his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.  He went on to obtain his Professional Engineering License and was a member of IEEE.  He worked 32 years at Central Electric Manufacturing Company/AZZ/AIS in Fulton, Missouri.  He made the biggest impact in their Research & Development division and created what was fondly referred to as Paul’s Lab.  While there he was granted multiple patents under his name.

Paul’s engineering mind made him an expert at fixing and building things around the house.  He also often helped friends and extended family with projects.  He had a quick wit.  He loved music and was an accomplished drummer playing in a wide variety of bands including church, blues bands, and the Kapital Kicks Big Band Orchestra.  He loved history, although perhaps his greatest passion was fishing.  He loved fly fishing.  He enjoyed sharing his knowledge of fly fishing with others.  Paul’s creative outlet and generosity was seen in the flies he tied for himself and others.  His very favorite place to fish since childhood was Bennett Spring State Park, but he also loved to explore new places and techniques. He was a passionate fly-fisherman, but what he loved most of all was his family. Paul cherished time with family, always looking for ways to make us laugh.

Surviving is his beloved wife, Carol Gingrich of Jefferson City, Missouri; his son, Wes Gingrich and his husband, Michael, of St. Louis, Missouri; his daughter, Amanda Cartee and her husband, Ethan and grandson Paul, of Kansas City, Missouri; mother, Ada Gingrich of Boonville, Missouri; brother Andy Gingrich and sister-in-law, Jacky, of Columbia , Missouri; sister Mary Sinclair and brother-in-law Bob Sinclair of Austin, Texas; as well as many greatly loved nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his father Wesley Edwin Gingrich of Boonville, Missouri.

Visitation will be from 9:30-11 a.m. Saturday, May 30, 2026, at First United Methodist Church in Jefferson City with a service to follow at 11 a.m. with Rev. Trevor Dancer officiating.  Burial will be held later that afternoon at Walnut Grove Cemetery in Boonville, Missouri.

Donations are greatly appreciated to Common Ground Community Building, 1015 East Atchison Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101 or to Termeer Cancer Center (for clinical trial research), MGB Development Office, Attn: Megan Daniels, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114.

Services entrusted to Trimble Funeral Homes – Jefferson City.    trimblefunerals.com