Paul Alex Bottoms
Aug 26, 1948Mar 09, 2019
Obituary message
Paul Alex Bottoms, 70, of Richmond, Virginia passed away on Thursday, March 7, 2019. He was preceded in death by his father, Hubert
Bottoms; mother Wanda Hammonds Bottoms; and sister Betty Releford. Paul is survived by sister, Paulette Moore (Jimmie); aunts
Frances Williams and Laqueta Bottoms; and cousins, nieces and nephews.
Paul’s favorite things to do were spend time with his cousin DeLesa Sandidge (Ron) of Fredericksburg, Virginia, volunteering at the USO at
Richmond International Airport, fishing, long visits to libraries and book stores, and helping others he knew.
He started as a dj in radio as a teenager in Arkansas using the on air name of Paul Poppins. He joined the Army and did news for Pat
Sajack on AFVN radio. Paul came home and was a newscaster at various radio stations in the areas of Chicago IL, Dallas-Ft Worth TX as well as San Antonio, Alexandria VA, and most recent, WRVA in Richmond. Paul was very fortunate to have many friendships with extraordinary personalities at all of the stations where he worked.
Final arrangements are private. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to a charity of your
choice.
Our Sincere Sympathy. I grew up with Paul in Mountainburg. So many childhood memories. Love and Prayers to the family.
Paul had a very profound effect on my life. He even bought me my first dog. We met when he worked in Chicago at WJJD. I will remember his laugh, his silly sense of humor and his passion for all his many interests.
Paul was such a big part of my daughters in my life when we lived in Dallas many happy memories and a lot of laughs God be with you you are missed
My friend Toby Phillips introduced me to Paul a few years back,and ive kept up with him since then. Paul spoke i listened with amazement, i absolutely loved his radio voice and his sense of humor. RIP Texas loves Paul Bottoms.
I worked with Paul @ KFSA in Fort Smith when he was Paul Poppins. He was a year older than me. That was a great time to be alive. I lost track of him after that. I moved to Texas and ended up spending 30 years or so on the radio there but thanks to Facebook I found him a few years ago. It was great to catchup. I will miss him. He was a good soul and I’m glad I knew him.
I never had the honor to meet Paul face to face. He and my father worked together in Vietnam. He reached out to me when I was trying to get air- checks of my father in Vietnam. He uploaded them to YouTube for me so I could always have them. Paul, I hope you know how much that meant to me. I have your voice and my dad’s thanks to you. ❤️ Rest In Peace my friend. You are truly missed. Much love to all of you’re loved ones.
God broke the mold when he made Paul Bottoms. I met Paul in Fort Smith, AR. in the mid 60’s, when he went to work for KFSA radio. I hung out at the station with him when I wasn’t working, and learned how to work that old Collins board in the control room their. Our mothers worked together, and Paul and I spent lots of time together up until the time he joined the Army and went to Vietnam. We had a few reunions when he came home, and he would always stop by when he was passing thru. I will miss Paul, and will always cherish the times we spent together.
I recently met Paul volunteering at the Richmond Virginia Airport USO. He had an infectious smile and a witty humor that kept me laughing. He was proud to be called a Veteran, and I was honored to be able to thank him for his service.
Paul was my news director at KONO/KITY in San Antonio and was my mentor in broadcast journalism. I was hired by ABC to work at the O&O station in Houston and didn’t know how to break the news but finally had to. When I did, he replied with his “special” laugh, and told me he was leaving for a job in Chicago and had been trying to figure out how to break the news to me. We became close friends while we worked together and as someone else has said, God did indeed break the mold when he made Paul. I was fortunate to have a long lunch with him a few years ago when he came to Dallas and we stayed in contact with FB. I miss that he is no longer on the planet but have joy that he is with the Lord.
Paul, you were Randy Stones best friend and you and he died on the same date, 4 years apart. I’m going to miss you like crazy old friend.
worked with Paul in Saigon when he hosted the “Orient Express” music program on the American Forces Vietnam Network. His early talent was on the air for everyone to appreciate. Extraordinary radio man and an honorable veterans.
It was great to reconnect with Paul via Facebook and mutual friends. We both worked nights at different radio stations in Fort Smith, Arkansas in the 60’s and lost track of one another. My prayers to the family and loved ones.
Sending my condolences to Paul’s friends and family. We volunteered together at the Richmond USO and he always had such great stories to share with service members and other volunteers. He will be missed.
I worked with Paul at KSCS and he was such an amazing character and voice! One of the most poignant memories for me was the fundraiser we did at the Vietnam memorial in Fair Park. Paul, Terry Dorsey, our GM Victor Sansone , our GSM Paul Danotz and several others were there to share personal stories and give heartfelt greetings of “welcome home brother” Godspeed Paul.
Paul was a very special friend of my deceased husband, Ted Stecker, and me. Paul was the best man and photographer at our wedding on the banks of the Potomac in Alexandria, VA, in 1981. No one can take away the wonderful—and often funny—memories I have of Paul. He was the best newsman ever, next to Paul Harvey, of course. I know a lot of us will miss him, even if we weren’t often with him.
I was young and naive back in 2978 when I met him playing basketball with WJJD crew. I was excited at the chance of meeting a real radio star but my life was dashed to pieces when he got me alone and then raped me. It’s awful having to continue to go on with your life after an occurrence like that. My dad was mad and went down to that WJJD station but nothing got accomplished. All these years later the pain never really goes away and though the memory fades it’s still there
I was young and naive back in 1978 when I met him playing basketball with WJJD crew. I was excited at the chance of meeting a real radio star but my life was dashed to pieces when he got me alone and then raped me. It’s awful having to continue to go on with your life after an occurrence like that. My dad was mad and went down to that WJJD station but nothing got accomplished. All these years later the pain never really goes away and though the memory fades it’s still there
I remember Paul’s great voice, on WJJD Radio, as a newsman, in Chicago. He would introduce himself as “Paul A. Bottoms.” I was born and raised in Chicago and would listen to WJJD, regularly. At the top of the hour, Paul would do the news, before returning to D.J. Art Nelson or Ted Clark. Those are memories I will have for the rest of my life.