Paul Trane

You have to hand it to the Mormon Church: it recognized a good man when it called Paul Trane to be a bishop. Had he stayed active, he may have become a General Authority. After all, he is a sixth generation Mormon and, while growing up in Lehi, was on the debate team that went against the American Fork team with Merrill Bateman, General Authority and President of Brigham Young Semin...uh, University.

Indeed, for much of his life, he was prototypically Mormon, except that he was an only child (his father died when Paul was six) and was asking questions at age 18. He enrolled at BYU but soon was off on a mission to the Central States, serving in mission headquarters in Independence, Missouri, for six months where he read a lot of Mormon history.

After his mission, he joined the National Guard and served six months on active duty at Fort Ord and then married in the Salt Lake Temple and went on to graduate from the Y in 1962. 1964 was eventful as he earned his master's degree in social work from the University of Utah, went to work as a medical social worker at Primary Children's Hospital, saw the birth of his first child, and established a home in Cottonwood Heights.

In 1965 he began 32 years of service in the Granite School District, initially as the first Head Start Social Worker, then as a school social worker and coordinator/supervisor of school social work staff and program and, for the final eleven years, as principal at Woodstock Elementary School and then Valley Crest Elementary School. Meanwhile, his second, third, fourth, and fifth children were born, he served three years as a Mormon bishop, and he did temple and genealogy work.

Altogether typical for the Salt Lake valley, except that he was conflicted. His therapist told him he was a humanist in a theocratic society. In 1982 he joined the American Humanist Association and briefly attended the South Valley Unitarian Church. His wife went in the opposite direction and they were divorced in 1990. In 1992, he had his name removed from the LDS church membership rolls. Thereafter, he became a member of the First Unitarian Church, met Richard Teerlink (see Spotlight, January 1999), and moved with him into their present home at theAltogether typical for the Salt Lake valley, except that he was conflicted. His therapist told him he was a humanist in a theocratic society. In 1982 he joined the American Humanist Association and briefly attended the South Valley Unitarian Church. His wife went in the opposite direction and they were divorced in 1990. In 1992, he had his name removed from the LDS church membership rolls. Thereafter, he became a member of the First Unitarian Church, met Richard Teerlink (see Spotlight, January 1999), and moved with him into their present home at the Waterbury Condo Community.

After retiring, Paul and Richard became advisors to the GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) at West High School, one of two in the Salt Lake area, and have found this an important way to put humanist principles into action. They are also involved with GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Educators Network). Paul is a member of the Board of Trustees at the First Unitarian Church. He continues to travel and visit his children and eight grandchildren, soon to be ten.

--Earl Wunderli