Paul Orlin Layman

Paul Orlin Layman, born July 21, 1935, in Bristol, Virginia, passed away on March 14, 2026 at the age of 90 after a short and intense battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Nancy, sons JB and Scott, daughters-in-law Tannis and Jane, grandchildren Reece and Faye Layman, Tanya and Rens De Koning, and great-grandchildren Micah Layman, Felicity Layman, Katrina Layman, Charlotte De Koning, and Madeleine De Koning. He is also survived by his 93-year-old sister, Sharlene Hedrick, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Wilbur Reece Layman and Thelma Brady Layman, and his brother, John Reese Layman.

After graduating from high school, Paul enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and served honorably in Kodiak, Alaska. At the age of 21, he eloped with Nancy McEwen, beginning a devoted partnership of 68 years grounded in their shared faith. Following his military service, he earned his degree as a chiropractor. In 1962, he and Nancy moved to Boca Raton, Florida, where he established a practice that served the community for forty years with compassion and professionalism until his retirement in 2002.

Paul’s life was marked by an enduring spirit of adventure and service. An instrument-rated pilot, he built and flew his own airplane and held A&P mechanic licenses in both the United States and the United Kingdom. He was also an avid sailor, scuba diver, and motorcycle enthusiast. He served as president of Rotary International in Boca Raton and secretary of Rotary in Grand Cayman, and he contributed to airport aviation boards in Boca Raton, the Cayman Islands, and Ellijay, Georgia. A lifelong man of faith, he served as a Sunday School teacher, youth coordinator, and church board member.

Dr. Layman will be remembered for his integrity, his deep dedication to his family and his profession, and the remarkable breadth of his accomplishments. His legacy endures in the many lives he touched through a life lived with purpose and devotion to the Lord.