Tasha A. Oxendine For the Robesonian
Michael Olof Paulson in 1942.
After his death in 2022, friends of Michael Olof Paulson from around the country honored his wish to give the gift of education, as directed in his will.
Friends of Michael Olof Paulson visited Pembroke to present an endowed scholarship in his name to, left to right, Tribal Council Speaker Dewey McNeill, Education Chair Chocajuana Oxendine, Pat Redpath Roberts, Ron Redpath, Lumbee Tribal Chairman Lowery, Danny Raffield, JoAnn Raffield, Jason White the estate attorney, Don Trice and Sandra Harrison.
PEMBROKE — Michael Olof Paulson’s life touched many people around the globe.
Born in Sweden, he was an aviator, a historian and an enthusiast, as well as a great friend.
After his death in 2022, his friends from around the nation wanted to celebrate his life and honor his wish to give the gift of education, as directed in his will.
They searched across the country for an American Indian Tribe to present the gift to. They chose the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.
Danny Raffield said he knew the choice was good the first day he arrived in Pembroke for an initial meeting more than a year ago. “Michael Olof Paulson was our dear friend and he had friends in many places,”said Raffield. “That journey and initial contact was good. There’s a lot of great things and people here. I know you have all the parts and the Lumbee Tribe is doing an awesome thing.”
Paulson’s friends recently traveled to Pembroke, North Carolina from around the nation to honor his request in his will by giving an endowment gift of $613,276 to the Lumbee Tribe for scholarships. Prior to his death, Paulson’s friends had not met and did not know one another. During their trip to the Lumbee Tribe Housing Complex, they each described what Michael meant to them and how he impacted their lives. “In 1963, the Delaware CAP (Civil Air Patrol) hosted the Swedish Cadets and Exchange Program and we had eight or ten cadets come over,” said Ron Redpath. “The cadets were farmed out to local families and we got Mike. He stayed with us in Delaware for weeks as he visited New York, Washington, D.C., the Dover Air Force Base as he saw this country and he was determined that he would come back, and he did and lived with our parents.”
Michael Olof Paulson returned to the United States to pursue his dreams. As a young man in Sweden, his friends described to the Lumbee Tribal staff how a billboard with palm trees convinced Michael to decide he wanted to move somewhere warm, so he made Florida his home and pursued the life he always dreamed of. Pat Redpath Roberts shared how Michael became a commercial airline pilot including being a captain for the Saudi Arabian Airlines and Piedmont. “He traveled the world, as we’ve been saying, first for his job and then later just for the love of exploring new places and learning new bits of history,” said Pat. “He liked living his life to the fullest.”
Michael’s life as a pilot also connected him to the Lumbee. As his friends looked at American Indian tribes across the nation to present his gift, one of the key factors that helped them make their decision was a aviation story about Lumbee Hero and pilot Tom Oxendine. The story spotlighted Tom as an aviator during World War II and how he was a hero among the Lumbee people. Michael’s friends said they knew the story was a sign that the Lumbee was the right tribe.
Michael’s friends said he loved where he came from in Sweden, but he fell in love with America and what America stands for and he was a proud U.S. citizen. They wanted people to know about his passion. “Michael stayed true to his vision; so, young people, whether it’s being an aviator, whether it’s a professional, a farmer, or anything that is doing the right thing, it is honest hard work, stay with it because the tools of education and Michael’s education and aviation afforded him to seek higher levels and do things,” said Raffield.
Michael’s friends said there were not many countries in the world that Michael hadn’t explored. He never stopped learning. During the visit to Pembroke, Lumbee Tribe Chairman John L. Lowery and the Lumbee Administration team shared with Micheal’s friends how education is an important key stone for the Lumbee People. “Education is a deep part of our culture and our heritage and this gift will continue to allow us to help our students achieve different educational levels,” said Lowery. “We are so thankful for this partnership.”
The Michael Olof Paulson Endowment Scholarship will be gifted in the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Tribal Chairman Lowery invited Paulson’s friends to come back for the scholarship ceremony.
Call:
T:910-739-4322
Address:
2175 N. Roberts Ave,
Lumberton, NC 28358
