Paul Martin Blair, 85, died September 9, 2026, in Norwalk, Connecticut, surrounded by his children and grandchildren. A private family service will be held this fall on one his favorite ski runs in the Catskills NY.

Paul was born on October 4, 1940, in Jamaica, Queens NY, to the late Henry and Edna Blair, both first generation immigrants. He spent his childhood and adolescence in Northport Long Island and attended Williston Northampton Prep School in MA, where he graduated in 1959 as a multi-sport athlete. Following high school, he attended Colgate University in Hamilton NY where he played and lettered in lacrosse and wrestling three years in a row. After college, he voluntarily joined the US Marine Corps where he served his time at Camp Legeune NC. He spent his early professional life working on Wall Street where he honed the art of arbitrage working with his father and brother at Henry Blair and Co securities option firm, and Harris Upham. By 1976, he was elected as Vice President of the American Stock Exchange. Soon after the 70’s crash, he turned in suits and briefcase and, with his wife Cynthia, opened Briar Hardware in Briarcliff NY. When they closed the store, he spent the remainder of his working life in security. He lived the early part of his adult life in Westchester County between Chappaqua and Bedford, and his last 15 years in Norwalk CT.

Known by his family as Big Paul, he will be remembered for his quick wit, his love of family and family gatherings, his enjoyment of fast cars and downhill skiing, his love of sports, including any college lacrosse and especially his beloved NY Giants and the old Brooklyn Dodgers, his pride for his children and grandchildren, his turkey carving and egg bunking prowess, and desire for ice box cake on every birthday.

Paul is predeceased by both his parents and two of his three brothers, Peter Blair ’57 formerly Warren NY and his brother John formerly of New Haven CT. He is survived by his wife, Cynthia Mulbury Blair; their four sons, Bryan Blair and wife Kelly Mofield of Chappaqua NY, Chris Blair and his wife Tracy of Southlake TX, Peter Blair and his wife Paola of Norwalk CT, and Paul Blair and his wife Jamie of Atkinson NH; his 13 grandchildren, Tilden, Graham, Schuyler, Seamus, Marcus, Henry, Lily, Joseph, Sean, Charlie, Maddy, Presley and Oliver; numerous grand nieces and nephews from the Gabriel, McClenachan, Mulbury, Pawlowski and Palmer families; his brother Jimmy Blair of Lafayette LA; and his nephews Matthew, David, Eric and Nate Blair. The family asks that donations in memory of Big Paul be made to your own favorite charity and that you raise a glass in his memory every time the NY Giants score, admitting that “we love them, but they don’t make it easy.”