Paul Rudolf Kurt Kopplin

Apr 30, 1941 -

Oct 16, 2025

Paul Rudolf Kurt Kopplin, beloved father, grandfather, cousin and friend, passed away, at age 84, on Oct. 16, 2025, at his home in Anchorage, Alaska.

Paul was born in 1941 to Kurt and Elizabeth (Roehl) Kopplin in Berlin, Germany, during WWII; a beginning that shaped his approach to life and instilled a comfort with risk that brought him around the world. Once graduated from trade school, and as the Berlin Wall started construction, he took the narrowing opportunity to slip to the West, leaving East Germany, and not to return for 28 years.

Wanting to see the world and with a sense of adventure, he took a job with Pratt and Whitney in East Harford, Conn. And then onto Anchorage, where he was hired by Gil's Aircraft Service on Merrill Field.

Not long after, he found that he was drafted to the Vietnam War and reported to Ft. Bragg, N.C. On the East Coast again, he married Irma Cabezas and had their son Rudy the following year. Once discharged, he took his VW bus on a winter drive up the Alcan Highway and back to Alaska.

Paul loved the aviation, wilderness, opportunity and vastness of Alaska, and built his home on the Anchorage hillside. He adapted to the Alaska life of hunting for moose, caribou, sheep, bear, buffalo and fishing for every kind of fresh and saltwater fish. He also became a bush pilot, building his own planes from salvaged parts, retrieving downed planes, selling them and pushing the limits to new adventures.

In addition to working privately, he was employed by Reeve Aleutian Airways, Great Northern Airlines, University of Alaska, Mark Air and eventually Lynden Air Cargo. He worked as an A&P mechanic, flight engineer and first officer, and even taught at the university. During his career, he flew Cessnas, the Dash, the Electra and the Hercules. He flew all over Alaska and destinations around the world. It was always his greatest joy to be able to bring back special unique gifts from his travels, spending many nights sharing the latest liqueurs and admiring the treasures and curious things that he found. He was a wonderful storyteller and people watcher, and how he loved to laugh.

Once retired he finally had time to work on his endless projects go on lots of deep sea fishing trips on Resurrection Bay.

Paul was fascinated with people and genuinely wanted to hear their stories, he easily engaged with strangers, discovering what they thought, what they did and why. He was a lifelong learner, studying history, languages, finance and politics, and loved to discuss them all. A hard worker and a loyal friend, he was always ready to stand by you and help however he could. His presence and laughter will be greatly missed by all who knew him, we will be telling stories of him the rest of our lives.

Paul is survived by son, Oliver Schabel of Germany; son, Rudolf Kopplin of AZ; daughter, Ingrid (Byron) Hall of HI; son, Kurt Kopplin of CT; granddaughter Naomy (Alexander) Radtke of Germany; granddaughter Sima Lack of Germany; grandson Dylan Hall of HI; great-grandson, Mateo Radtke of Germany; great-granddaughter, Ida Lack of Germany; and former spouse, Irma Kopplin of CT.

A Celebration of Life will be held Nov. 1, 2025, at AMVETS Post 49, 9191 Old Seward Hwy, at 4 p.m.