McHone
In a sometimes fragile and broken world, Paul McHone was Mr. Fix It.
Oh, to the children and staff who adored him at Columbus’ Learning Tree Preschool at First United Methodist Church, he was affectionately known simply as Mr. Paul. And when the church and preschool maintenance supervisor died unexpectedly Aug. 18, preschool board member Marty Arnett knew they had to do something special to honor his considerable impact and memory, especially at Christmas, a particularly favorite time for him.
Except she and the 131 students hardly expect anything to readily mend their broken hearts over his passing.
“He so loved those kids,” Arnett said of McHone, who served in his role for six years. “And the kids so loved him.”
The youngsters handmade a range of decorations for a once-forlorn, bent, 7-foot artificial Christmas tree — perhaps the only thing not 100 percent real about McHone — that the man rescued from the roadside after the holiday last year.
And, earlier this month, with glitter, artwork, crafts, and more, the youngsters lovingly adorned that rescued and resurrected tree that proudly stood through most of December outside the church’s office as a symbol of the light that McHone was in the lives of many.
“It definitely needed some work (last year),” said Lisa McHone, his wife for nearly 13 years.
That served as a perfect setup for the man who became a quintessential handyman.
Her spouse originally intended to repair the roadside tree for the preschool children. But, as you read this, preschool staff just made sure that a needy local family, originally with no Christmas tree at all, is now enjoying it. That’s something that Lisa McHone said would extremely please her husband, known for his giving.
For instance, a few years ago, when one Zionsville gentleman shared with Paul McHone that a fireplace used an extreme amount of kindling, Mr. Fixit fixed that situation days later with a surprise, free truckload of kindling for the guy.
“Paul did a lot of generous things behind the scenes,” his wife said. “He did things very quietly. Everyone would agree that he had a servant’s heart.”
Fitting for a man with a first name that means “humble.”
Preschool director Sue Ellen Brown remembers how aware Paul McHone was about reusing almost any item to be a good steward.
“Ideally, he never wanted us to throw away anything,” Brown said. “He always encouraged us to find a way to repurpose things.”
Just like that discarded Christmas tree.
“I would love to see his delight at this tree on full display (in the office),” said Pastor Howard Boles of the church. “I would love to hear him tell about the adventure of finding the tree and getting it into working order.”
Paul McHone told some that the rescued tree initially even flew out of his truck bed when he first tried to drive away with it. But he stopped to retrieve it.
Lisa McHone acknowledged that she wept part of the time when she recently watched preschoolers explain and hang their ornaments on her husband’s tree. She said she also was deeply touched by their memories of their Mr. Paul.
“In our tears of sorrow,” Boles said, “there is an abundance of good memories that fill our hearts with love and appreciation.”
Before the tree recently was gifted, a toolbox, representing the elements that Paul McHone regularly used to make things like new again, sat under it outside the church office.
Clearly, though, one element that Paul McHone left behind can hardly be contained in any box.
And that could be the Christmas gift that all will long remember.
His heart.
