Obituary of Paul Davis Linnee

Paul Linnee died at age 77 after a 10 year battle with Pulmonary Fibrosis. Preceded in death by his parents Carl and Jane Linnee, and sister Susan. Survived by wife of 54 years Jane; daughters Anne Linnee and Maggie (Pat) Cosgrove; cherished grandchildren Finn and Molly plus extended family and friends.

Paul grew up in St. Louis Park, graduating from St. Louis Park High School. He graduated from the University of Minnesota. He served in the Army Reserve for 20 years. 

Paul left an indelible mark in the field public safety and emergency communications  starting with the Burnsville Public Safety Dept followed by 10 years as Director of Public Safety Administrative Services for the city of Richfield, then serving as Director of 911 for Mpls. Later in his career he affiliated with Geocomm first as a consultant then as an employee and finally serving on the Board of Directors. Paul was exceedingly proud of his role in the expansion and enhancement of 911 services and the metro area radio system which allowed police,fire and emergency departments throughout the entire area to communicate with each other and coordinate response  in the event of a major disaster or incident. Until the very end of Paul’s life he continued to serve as an expert witness in cases that involved 911 response.   

Paul loved the Twin Cities and demonstrated that love in everything he did. He was always eager to showcase the Twin Cities be it in his retirement role as Uber driver or tour guide to friends and family from around the world.  Paul was smart, curious, and energetic with just the right amount of quirky mixed in. He payed close attention to world, national and local events and absorbed minutiae surrounding these events. 

He had a passion for travel that began as a boy growing up with his parents taking him to all 48 states. Alaska & Hawaii got added in adulthood. Paul & Jane carried on the road trip tradition with Anne & Maggie. They later expanded their horizons with travels all over the world, visiting more than 30 countries on 4 continents. 

Paul’s family life was rich in memories, laughter and meaningful conversation whether at home, at Larsmont or the cabin. Watching Finn and Molly grow from delightful little ones into bright, kind teenagers was most heartwarming.

Paul loved cars, trains, boats, bridges, Twins, Timberwolves, Gopher basketball, and newspapers. Paul was cautious with a dollar but geneous in the most important ways. He remained friends with people he grew up with and added many new friends over the years. 

He will be missed.

Memorial service to be held on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, 11:00 AM at Lakewood Garden Mausoleum, 3600 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolos. Refreshments to follow. 

Memorials preferred to World Central Kitchen, Habitat for Humanity.