Eulogy from Richie Innamorato
Dear Ultra Friends,
I realize many of you have already heard the sad news. For those who haven’t, Paul Fetscher passed away on June 11.………….. Paul suffered from a stroke in January. He seemed to be improving but then suffered another stroke last month. He was also diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. It all would be too much to overcome. Paul was 79.
Paul was the most prolific runner in the Metropolitan area. He completed over 2000 races; locally, around the country and around the world. Paul finished over 300 marathons including at places like Berlin, East Germany Moscow and Paris. Paul even ran the Great Wall of China. Paul competed for over 65 years and represented the Long Island Athletic Club (LIAC), Warren Street Social & Athletic Club (WSSAC), the Broadway Ultra Society (BUS) and the Greater Long Island Running Club (GLIRC). He was a Board Member of the latter organization.
Paul’s running life was just not quantity but also quality. He went under 2:30 for the marathon over a dozen times. He was a 6-time marathon champion. His PB was 2:21:49 winning the Long Island Marathon in 1977. Paul also won ultras, winning the Metropolitan 50K and twice Forest Park 40 Mile champion. One of the FP40 wins was a 4:19 time (sub 6:30 pace) and ran negative splits.
Besides being a top flight competitor, Paul was the founder and the first director of the Earth Day Marathon. He was just 27. The inaugural event had over 400 starters; a very high number in those days. He also created a stepping stone for the 2 events. The Earth Day continued the tradition of the Cherry Tree Marathon established by a newly formed group known as New York Road Runners (NYRR). Ted Corbitt was the first winner. And the legend goes that the race was Fred Lebow’s first marathon. Another celebrated Cherry Tree Marathon runner was a very young Neil Weygandt. Neil went on to run 45 consecutive Boston Marathons…………….The Earth Day would be the precursor to the Long Island Marathon that would feature thousands of participants.
I was first introduced to Paul by the written word. He wrote an article 50 years ago in the RRC NY Association Newsletter and helped inspire my running. He wrote how he went from a decent runner to a National Class runner. Running twice a day with 6-mile morning runs around Hempstead Lake State Park and getting his mileage up to a 100 a week. From 1976-1979, Paul ran the next 4 NYC Marathons in 2:29, 2:25, 2:26 and 2:26. He would complete over 40 NYC Marathons.
I personally met Paul at the Earth Day Marathon; the race I would qualify for my first Boston Marathon. Even though Paul had a thousand things on his mind, he was still gracious and encouraging to this young runner. A few years later, I spearheaded the Vanderbilt YMCA Running Club. Coincidentally, Paul was a Y Member and helped us win the Greater NY YMCA 5-Mile Championship. His time was a few ticks over 26 minutes. A friendship with Paul and also Richie Langsam would ensue for the next 5 decades.
Running may have been Paul’s passion, but his work was his mission. He founded the Great American Brokerage in 1980 specializing in restaurant real estate and retail. He probably competed in as many restaurant deals as his marathons. But he was more than a broker. After the sale, Paul would consult a retail concept, design and development of the restaurant lifestyle. His efforts would assist downtown redevelopment, regional malls and urban renewal. Paul would help oversee these businesses to succeed. He also worked diligently to get many of his clients to donate free dinners to be raffled at the GLIRC Holiday Party.
Paul was born on December 21, 1945. He originally grew up in Brooklyn, and later spent his adolescent years in Long Island. He attended Carey High School in Franklin Square and ran track. He sped through 2 miles under 10 minutes and was the Carey HS record holder. Paul would enroll into Citadel University in South Carolina, majoring in Civil Engineering. He also would become a member of MENSA. The Citadel featured an enriched military history, including its cadets serving for the Confederacy. One of Paul’s classmates was the author, Pat Conroy. Through their friendship, Paul met Conroy’s father who would be the subject of the novel/movie “The Great Santini”. Paul would later comment about Conroy’s father being “bigger than life”.
Paul would buy a home and settle in West Hempstead. Through the years, several running friends would reside with him. It was like a combination of a running academy and frat house. Every summer, Paul and the “West Hempstead Manor” would feature the party of the season. The invitation alone should be inducted in the Hall of Fame. It was creatively designed like a “Waldo Puzzle”, and the party would not disappoint. It resembled a festive ultra.
Paul would be a complicated and sometimes a controversial figure. He was the master of self-analysis in all his endeavors. When I visited him in the hospital, he was even self-diagnosing his condition. He would not be satisfied, despite all his achievements. He wanted to be and do better. That drive would help him succeed and be the person he was. It was a gift but also a curse. When Paul was in his 60’s, he learned he was running with medial and lateral tears. Most would stop, especially a person with his resume. But not him. His marathon times would be over 5 hours and then 6 hours, and his last (2022) was 7:58:54. No matter the times, he still loved the challenge and most of all the comradery.
Life was more than running and work for Paul. His other devotion was certainly Eileen Hession. So much so, Paul relinquished the West Hempstead Manor and moved with Eileen to Long Beach. They have been together for decades. Eileen was a publishing representative and also a runner. Our heartfelt sympathies are with Eileen during this sad time. Services will be Saturday, June 21 at the Christopher Jordan Funeral Home from 2 pm to 4 pm at 302 Long Beach Road in Island Park. Condolences can be sent to Eileen at 516 West Beach Street; Long Beach, NY 11561.
Paul was quoted after a difficult race. “I remind myself. Sooner or later, the finish line will arrive.” May he rest in peace.
Richie Innamorato
The service will be held at
Christopher T. Jordan Funeral Home
Phone: (516) 431-2900
Fax: (516) 431-4700
302 Long Beach Rd., Island Park, NY 11558
Topic: Join Via Zoom to Celebrate Paul
Time: June 21, 2025, 02:00 pm Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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