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Paul Harvey Goldsmith was born in Montreal on June 7, 1956. He grew up in Cote St. Luc, a west end suburb, where he attended Wagar High School, from which he graduated in 1973. It was at Wagar High that he made his musical comedy debut, playing a featured role in the school production of "South Pacific". His love of singing and of the theatre remained a passion throughout his life. It was also at Wagar that Paul first became interested in the field of computer science.
Paul pursued studies in science and computer technology at Dawson college, from which he obtained his Diploma of Collegial Studies. While still a student at Dawson, he was instrumental in developing a variety of computer systems application projects for use by the College in its daily operations. He was, as well, as member of the Board of Governors at the time of his graduation.
Paul continued his formal education at both McGill and Concordia Universities, graduating from the latter with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science. He pursued postgraduate courses in Electrical Engineering, specifically in the area of VLSI design.
It was during his university years that Paul's musical affiliations really took root and his talent for performing really blossomed. He was mainstay of the McGill Savoy Society during the late 1970's and early 1980's, performing, producing, lighting and creating outrageous props for several Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. He lent his talents to several other Montreal theatre groups over the years, including among others the Mount Royal Operatic Society, The Arcadians, The Montreal West Operatic Society and The Beth Tikvah Players. He was also an active member in a number of local choirs and choral groups, most notably the Shaare Zion Synagogue Choir, in which he sang for twenty years, the Ron-Am Choir, and most recently, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra Choir, with which he toured in 1991.
Following graduation, Paul began working in the computer industry. Describing himself as a "computer nerd", he used his many talents throughout his career. A clear thinker and an articulate writer, Paul wrote user's manuals to accomodate varying degrees of technical complexity. He was a technolinguist, familiar with and comfortable in a multitude of computer languages, his language of choice being Unix *. At the time of his death, he was nearing completion in the creation of a new language/environment that he planned to release into the public domain.
He worked at various times in both development and application of software and hardware, one of his proudest achievements being the development of a Braille conversion system. In 1989, he joined the staff of his alma mater, Concordia University, as a systems support analyst responsible for the day to day operation of the computer laboratory in the Faculty of Engineering. This necessitated considerable student contact, and as was his wont, Paul provided not only technical but emotional support to many students whom he had befriended and who remained among his personal friends. So keen was he on fostering student interest in the computer community, that while on staff at Concordia, he initiated and hosted tours for high school students to whom he extended a personal invitation to inspect the computer facility.
Ultimately, the bright lights of New York City beckoned, and in 1991, Paul joined Salomon Brothers, a large Wall Street brokerage house, as a Unix systems administrator responsible for the flow of information used by the traders and brokers on the floor of the Stock Exchange. Despite the demands of his job, Paul found time to join the Juilliard Choir, the Riverside Choir and the Cornerstone Choral among others. He continued to pursue his theatrical activities both on and backstage, most recently appearing as a featured player in "Oklahoma", where his charm, sense of humour and comic timing won him appreciation and a cast of friends.
In February of 1994, he began working as a Unix systems integrator and administrator for CS First Boston Corporation, all the while continuing to maintain an active social life, filled as it was with performances and attendances at the theatre and other cultural events with a large group of like minded friends to whom he was always available and his home always open. Paul performed his last concert on May 6, 1994 in New York City. His sudden death at age 37 on May 12, 1994 came as an enormous shock to his family and many friends throughout North America, all of whom mourn his loss. He is survived by his parents, Elinor and Howard Goldsmith, and his twin sister Cheryl Goldsmith.
In March of 1994, Paul mourned the untimely passing of his dear friend and colleague, Andre Ozrout, with whom he shared a vision of the vast potential that the computer industry could offer to society. They both believed that, properly applied, computer technology could enhance all areas of daily life in countless ways. That neither Paul nor Andre was able to see their vision realized only magnifies their loss to those they left behind to fulfill their legacy.
* - For those who are sticklers for detail. While strictly speaking, Unix is not a computer language, Cheryl is not as computer literate as Paul was, and was writing in grief. This is still a beautiful statement.
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