Paul Stengel of Southampton Dies December 19

Paul Stengel of Southampton died at home on December 19 after a battle with brain cancer. He was 79.

He was born in Rosedale, Queens, on June 25, 1943, to John and Eleanor Stengel. He attended Archbishop Molloy High School and received his BS degree in physics from Marist College in 1966, and his MS degree in physics from Yeshiva University in 1972.

A lifelong science educator, Stengel began his career at St. Helena High School in the Bronx and then taught at Dobbs Ferry High School. From 1970-1976, he taught physics at Deer Park High School. He then moved to Shoreham Wading River High School in 1976, where he taught until his retirement in 1998. Stengel was the recipient of numerous awards, including receiving the 1997-98 Excellence in Secondary Science Teaching Award by the Science Teachers Association of New York State.

When not teaching physics in the classroom, Stengel enjoyed lecturing at Brookhaven National Laboratory and at local libraries about his other passion, outer space. This passion led him to pursue opportunities that included attending Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, and serving as the New York State Coordinator for the Space Science Student Involvement Program. In 1985, of the nearly 10,000 applicants nationwide to the NASA Teacher in Space program, he was selected as a finalist for the State of New York.

Never one to sit still, Stengel was also a licensed electrician, and spent summers during his teaching years and much of his retirement years, doing residential electrical projects for local clients.

Paul believed deeply in community service and spent many hours over his 40 years with the Kiwanis Club of Southampton helping local causes. He proudly served multiple terms as President and Secretary.

Stengel is survived by his wife, Marilyn Stengel, his wife of 49 years; as well as his sons Keith (Amy) of Wilmington, Delaware, David (Heather) of Dallas, Texas, and Matthew (Noelle) of Sag Harbor and Bow, New Hampshire; his youngest sister, Eleanor Pielet of Santa Clarita, California; his youngest brother, Kenneth Stengel of Southampton; eight grandchildren, Zoe, John, Georgia, Keira, Eleanor, Camille, Ace-Pierre and Cosette; as well as many nieces and nephews.

A wake was held on December 28 at Brockett Funeral Home, and a Mass was held on December 29 at the Basilica of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Southampton.