Paul Elijah Wilburn Iii

Paul Elijah Wilburn III passed away on May 3, 2025. He was born on September 17, 1948 in Union, South Carolina to Paul Elijah Wilburn Jr. and Ella Cathcart Wilburn.

Paul grew up in Union, then spent four of the happiest years of his life at Presbyterian College, where he was a member of the Beta Pi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Order. After graduating from PC, he continued his education at the University of South Carolina School of Law.

After law school, Paul moved back to Union and joined the practice of Bruce White. Later, he moved to Greenville, taking a position as a trust officer for C&S Bank before briefly going into private practice. Paul later joined the solicitor's office of the 13th Judicial Circuit before finally being appointed Assistant US Attorney for the District of South Carolina by Senator Strom Thurmond and served in that capacity until his retirement.

During his active years in Greenville, he served as President of the Young Lawyers Association in Greenville, was a member of the Greenville County Bar Association, and the Trial Lawyers Association. He was admitted to the South Carolina Bar Association and the US District Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. He also served as president of the Greenville Sertoma Society, was a Greenville Country Club member, and was a proud fellow of Wade Hampton College. He was a member of the Southern Tree Farmer's Association. At Fourth Presbyterian Church, he served as an Elder and enjoyed several years of teaching 3rd grade Sunday School, including developing a curriculum called Bible baseball. At the time of his retirement from law, he was attending Clemson, pursuing a Master's in English literature.

He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his children, Shell Wilburn Cameron and her husband, John Cameron; John McAlpin Wilburn and his husband, Tyler Kalogeros-Treschuk; and David Elijah Wilburn and grandchildren, Ethan Elijah Wilburn and Frankie Louise Wilburn.

He will be remembered for his wit, his scholarship, his style, his love of the Blue Hose, his staunch support of the Presbyterian Church and its ideals, and his devotion to his family, a trait his children are proud to share.

A visitation will be held at Fourth Presbyterian on Thursday, May 8th at 10:00 am, followed by a funeral service at 11:00 am.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Paul E. Wilburn III Scholarship Fund at Presbyterian College (www.presby.edu/giving/give-now), or the 4th Presbyterian Church (www.fourthpres.com).