06/11/2023
Paul Dean Filliman
July 17, 1945 – June 11, 2023
Fishers, Indiana
Paul Dean Filliman, 77, of Fishers, Indiana, passed away on June 11, 2023. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, June 16, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Melcher-Dallas, Iowa.
The family will receive friends at the church beginning at 10:00 a.m. The interment will be at the Dallas Cemetery.
Paul was born July 17, 1945, in Pleasantville, Iowa to the late Michael and Nona Filliman. Paul was a 1964 graduate of Knoxville High School.
As a teen, he was active in his church, working in his father’s grocery store, hunting, and fishing, and started a business repairing radios and televisions.
He attended the University of Iowa and earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1968. He earned a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University in 1983.
In 1965, Paul met Sharon Rae Furgison while watching a band concert in the park in Melcher. They soon started dating and Paul reported thinking, “I’m going to marry that girl.” Paul did marry Sharon on September 2, 1967, and they enjoyed 54 years of wedded bliss.
As Paul continued to grow in his career, they moved from Bensenville, Illinois to Fort Wayne, Indiana. They finally settled in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1977.
During his career, Paul evolved the field of electronic engineering while working at Collins Radio, Motorola, Magnavox, and RCA and earned 28 patents in the area of consumer electronics.
Bicycling was Paul’s favorite hobby. He logged thousands of miles each year, commuted to work on a bicycle regularly, and rode in many notable rides including more than 30 Hilly Hundred rides, more than 25 RAGBRAI (The Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa), more than 20 RAINs (Ride Across Indiana) and many TOMRVs (Tour of the Mississippi River Valley). He also raced his bicycle well into his 40s.
Paul was inquisitive and was always learning. He had a strong faith and attending weekly mass was extremely important to him. He loved watching Iowa Hawkeyes sports, ice cream, dogs, playing pool, and his family.
He had a big heart and a fun-loving disposition. His legacy will live on forever through the many stories he shared and the memories of those who had the opportunity to know him.
Paul is survived by his son Paul (Lisa) Filliman, his daughter Carol (Cory) Kazmierczak, and his sister Kathy (Laverne) Ohnemus.