Worthington High Schools Alumni Club - Deceased Classmates
First Name
Paul
Maiden Name
Last Name
Baumgartner
Passing Date
6/21/2024
Class Attended
1978
High School
Worthington High School
Paul David Baumgartner, 64, of Reston, Virgina, passed away on June 21, 2024. He is survived by his wife, Linda Johnson; their children, Morgan Baum and Maya Baumgartner; their grandson, Theodore Baum; his parents, Ellen Baumgartner and Richard (Dick) Baumgartner; and his sisters, Bonnie Baumgartner-Zimmer and Catherine (Cat) Baumgartner. Paul was born in New York City on June 15, 1960. He attended the Alternative Program at Worthington High School in Worthington, Ohio and graduated in 1978 and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics from Ohio State University in 1983. He served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Benin, West Africa from 1983 to 1985 where he met his future wife, Linda. Upon his return, and after a year of readjustment living in West Sacramento, CA with four other returned Peace Corps Volunteers, Paul attended Purdue University’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics and earned his Master of Science in Engineering in 1989. Paul spent two years in California as an aerospace engineer at The Aerospace Corporation, before moving to Virginia where he enjoyed a 32-year career at Orbital Sciences Corporation (now Northrop Grumman) as a Guidance and Navigation Control engineer, primarily involved in developing the space launch vehicles Pegasus and Antares. Paul was a lifelong fan of Ohio State University football and the Cleveland Indians. He enjoyed playing soccer in his youth and his children, Morgan and Maya, have fond memories of attending Major League Soccer games and rooting for DC United with him during their school-age years. Paul was a lover of the outdoors and enjoyed hiking and biking with his family in state and national parks across the country. Linda, Morgan, and Maya recall many weeks of camping, roasting s’mores around the campfire, and stargazing. Paul was a passionate voice for progressive change in his community. His primary interests concerned wilderness and wildlife conservation, LGBTQ+ rights, affordable housing initiatives, and nonviolent forms of peacekeeping. He was very involved with the Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston after moving to Virginia, serving on the board twice and as a member of multiple committees. Towards the end of his life, he volunteered regularly with the Fairfax Democrats as a canvasser and an election day volunteer.
