Article by Gwen Jones, Department of Family Services
(Posted 2026 September)
Paul Howard has been fascinated by personal computers since they first became available. But despite his years of interest, he doesn’t consider himself a computer expert. Instead, he views his decades-long membership in computer clubs as a way to learn, get involved, and connect with like-minded people. He also does this as a member of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University (OLLI Mason), a nonprofit organization offering educational, social and cultural opportunities for people 50 and older. Paul’s pursuit of lifelong learning has led to an active, engaged and fulfilling retirement.
Paul Howard was born in Long Island City in Queens, NY, before his family moved to Floral Park, Long Island. When he was in kindergarten, his family moved to Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY, located near the United States Military Academy at West Point. He enjoyed growing up in this scenic village.
Paul attended Clarkson College of Technology in Potsdam, NY, intending to study industrial distribution but later changed majors. “I wasn’t a math scholar, and you needed to have good math skills,” he says, explaining his decision. He graduated in December 1969 with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management. In 1970, he accepted a job with Turner Construction Company in New York City and moved to New Jersey. While attending a gathering hosted by one of his former college roommates, Paul met Linda, who worked with the roommate’s wife. The pair hit it off and began dating.
A short time later, Paul’s career with Turner Construction was put on hold when he was drafted. He went into the United States Army in July 1970 and received advanced training in Army Air Defense, first at Fort Dix, NJ, then at Fort Bliss, TX. While on leave in December 1970, he and Linda got married. Paul was stationed on the island of Okinawa in Japan at an Army Air Defense command post. “Basically, I did service in Okinawa for 11 months and 29 days. Yes, it sounds like a jail term,” Paul jokes. The upside was that Linda was able to join him, so the newlyweds were not parted.
During his service, Paul was responsible for monitoring the airspace around the island. “We were looking for Russian aircraft to do nasty things. Okinawa had seven Army missile sites – three Nike Hercules sites and four Hawk sites – and they were there to defend the military facilities of the United States on the island,” he says.
Paul’s Army service ended in January 1972. “At that point, the Vietnam War was winding down. The Army realized they had far too many people for the expenses that it was causing so they offered 100,000 of us an early out and I said yes,” he recalls. The couple returned to New Jersey and Paul resumed his job at Turner Construction but was laid off four months later.
In August 1972, Paul got a job with New Jersey Bell, where his duties included climbing telephone poles, and setting poles and cable. He later supervised installation and repair crews. In his free time, Paul used his GI Bill benefits to take correspondence courses. In 1981, personal computers were just starting to come out so he took a course on computers. As part of the course, Paul got a Tandy Radio Shack TRS-80 Model III computer. He also got involved with a club called the Amateur Computer User Group of New Jersey.
In 1983, Paul was working for AT&T when he accepted a job at their regional headquarters in Arlington, VA. A member of his computer club told him about a similar group called the Tandy Computer User Group (TCUG) that was based in Arlington, so he contacted them. “Someone from the group took me to lunch to encourage me to join the group while I was working in Arlington. I was essentially a member of the group before I lived in Virginia,” he says. Paul joined TCUG in August, but he and Linda didn’t move to Virginia until November.
After touring homes all over Northern Virginia, Paul and Linda purchased a home in Herndon. Paul later accepted a job with Bell Atlantic and stayed on during their merger with Verizon. He held various roles over the years, including his favorite job serving as Real Estate and Facility Manager. He later worked in the environmental management division, ensuring that the company complied with environmental regulations. After 31 years working in the telecommunications industry, Paul retired in 2003.
In 1998, Paul joined a second computer group called the Washington Area Computer User Group, Inc., while continuing to be an active member of TCUG, which was renamed the National Capital Technology and Computer User's Group, Inc. (NCTCUG) in 2004. In 2012, the two groups merged to form the Potomac Area Technology and Computer Society (PATACS). Over the decades, Paul has been a consistent leader of the groups as they evolved, then merged. “Through the years I took on various roles. I was the president for two years at a time, twice. I was treasurer for many years. Then in 2016, the president stepped down so I took over,” he says.
A few years after retiring, Paul joined OLLI Mason, which quickly became his principal activity in retirement. He typically signs up for five or six courses each session and especially enjoys history classes and learning about other cultures. He has also gone on some of the day trips OLLI Mason offers, including tours of nearby Civil War battlefields. After almost two decades of membership, he is awed by the endless learning opportunities they offer, saying, “With OLLI you’ve got everything in the world – religion to science to history to music.”
Over the years, Paul has served on various committees and taken on a leadership role with OLLI Mason. “I’m on the board of directors of the organization. I served four previous three-year terms on the board. I was vice president for a year and president for two years,” he says. Paul also founded OLLI’s PC User Group in 2009. He recalls that one of the most challenging times OLLI Mason leaders faced was during the COVID-19 pandemic, as they figured out how to move their classes online. Despite the ease technology provides, Paul misses the face-to-face interactions of in-person classes. “I’ve been very disheartened by how Covid changed the world. Unfortunately, everybody would rather take a Zoom class,” he says.
Currently, PATACS meets on the first and fourth Wednesday each month at a community center in Arlington. They also meet jointly with the OLLI PC User Group on the third Saturday of the month at their Fairfax location. All three meetings are hybrid – people can attend in-person or via Zoom, and non-members are welcome to attend. “We have OLLI members who left the area but still come to our Saturday meetings,” Paul says. Meetings typically include a Q&A session where members bring their problems for the group to help solve, followed by a presentation. Presentation topics vary and recently included AI Prompts: Recipes for Success and Italian Inventions.
Paul encourages anyone who is interested in learning more about computers to attend a PATACS meeting or join the group, pointing out that beginners are always welcome. “If you look at PATACS current membership of 60 people, I would say that there are probably 5-10 experts and everyone else is a learner. They are coming there to find out about things they want to know more about,” he says. He includes himself in the non-expert category and continues to enjoy learning something new at every meeting. Paul also encourages people who are intimidated by technology to join them, saying, “Organizations like ours, the computer groups, are one way to get more comfortable with technology.” If you are unable to attend their meetings, PATACS records many of the presentations and shares them on their website, along with presentation materials. To view them, visit https://www.patacs.org/recmtgspat.html
As a lifelong learner, Paul encourages older adults to consider joining OLLI Mason. The fall term begins Sept. 23. Membership discounts are available for retired public-school teachers, GMU alumni, and new members. Financial assistance is also available for those who qualify.
In addition to helping him stay active and learn new things, Paul is grateful to both PATACS and OLLI for the connections he has formed over the years. “Great friends have been made, and we’ve had enjoyable experiences wrestling with technology,” he says. You can learn more about these organizations by visiting their websites:
- OLLI Mason: https://olli.gmu.edu
- PATACS: https://www.patacs.org
This article is part of the Golden Gazette monthly newsletter which covers a variety of topics and community news concerning older adults and caregivers in Fairfax County. Are you new to the Golden Gazette? Don’t miss out on future newsletters! Subscribe to get the electronic or free printed version mailed to you. Have a suggestion for a topic? Share it in an email or call 703-324-GOLD (4653).