Cape Coral Historian Paul Sanborn dies at 93

CAPE CORAL, Fla. A key figure in the city’s history is gone.

Former civic leader and City Historian Paul Sanborn died Friday at the age of 93. He suffered a stroke July 11, the Cape Coral Daily Breeze reports.

“We’re missing one of the greatest parts of Cape Coral that we’ll ever have,” friend Elmer Tabor said.

Sanborn played a pivotal role in the opening of Cape Coral Hospital and Cape Coral High School. He helped found the city’s Rotary Club and served in the Chamber of Commerce and on the Lee County Mosquito Control District board.

He was named City Historian in 1996, and the city dedicated Paul Sanborn Park, near Hancock Bridge Parkway, in his honor in 2008.

“He was so honored to have this park named after him and be a place where children could come and play and just have fun,” granddaughter Adrienne Colvin said.

Tabor worked as the marketing manager for the city’s founders, Jack and Leonard Rosen.

“It was his job to be the face of the company,” Tabor said. “And so he got the fun jobs. The fun job is opening the golf course, the fun job was opening the Yacht Club. So any of the social events or anything, Paul was the one to put it on.”

If there was a need in the community, Sanborn jumped on it, Tabor recalled.

“One of the things that the community’s lost is a very, very strong driver to make Cape Coral a better place than it is today,” Tabor said.

He was also there when the country needed him in World War II, serving as a radio operator-gunner for the Army air corps.

He and his wife, Mildred, moved to Cape Coral in 1962, before it was incorporated.

Sanborn is survived by his three children, five grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. A funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday at Faith Presbyterian Church on 4544 Coronado Parkway.