Henry Grady Paris

Henry G. Paris, 70, passed away on April 6th 2018 surrounded by his family. Henry was Born in 1947 in Akron, OH to Doris Lynette Kennedy Paris and Grady Vaughan Paris. He is survived by his dear wife Terry who proves the wonder of not losing hope, and her son, Keith Rawlston and family; his brother, Mark Vaughan Paris; his two sons, Thomas Reid Paris and Russell Keith Paris; his paternal aunt and uncle Micki and T.S. Medlock, Jr. of Rome, GA; his maternal aunt, Mrs. Theodore Patterson of Naples, FL; numerous cousins and aunt and uncle, Yvonne and Gene Bethel, in Akron, OH; and countless friends and acquaintances across the world who enriched his life.
He was an ever-reforming, active ordained elder in the Presbyterian Church for most of the last 40 years, serving as Elder at Logan’s Ferry, Mira Mesa Presbyterian Church (San Diego), Central Presbyterian Church (Atlanta), Northside Presbyterian Church (Chattanooga, TN), First Presbyterian Church, Soddy-Daisy and First Presbyterian Church, Spring City, TN, where he gained many dear young and older friends.
Henry graduated in 1965 with a National Merit Scholarship from the Darlington School in Rome, GA before attending Georgia Institute of Technology—graduating with a BS in Physics, an MS in Metallurgy and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering. He also completed a two year post-doctoral study at Carnegie-Mellon University in the School of Materials Science and Engineering.
Henry authored 10 patents, numerous technical publications, and was named a McDonnell Douglas Corporation Fellow. He left the field of technology at age 60 to work with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance in Mississippi and Louisiana after Katrina—his most rewarding work until becoming a pastor. In 2012 he graduated from Union Presbyterian Seminary with a M.Div., and was ordained as a Pastor in the PC(USA).
He preached at First Presbyterian Church, Soddy Daisy, TN from 2013-2014 and was Director, Urban Outreach Ministry at Second Presbyterian Church—a ministry to the urban homeless—from 2012 until his death. In 2016 until his death he served at First Presbyterian Church, Spring City, TN.
Henry left us with this meditation: I am where we are all called to be, no more a stranger but child at play. Celebrate, laugh, find and cling to faith, hope and love, knowing that if you rely on your own strength you are lost. In knowing these three, you will find faith. There is a way home, find it for your children’s sake. 
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Helping Hands Community Food Pantry, PO Box 455, Spring City, TN 37381.
A celebration of Henry’s life will be held at Northside Presbyterian Church, Saturday April 14th at 10:00 AM.  
Arrangements by Lane Funeral Home, 601 Ashland Terrace, Chattanooga, TN 37415 www.lanefh.com.