Paradise icon passes

Stan McEtchin—known locally for his metallic sculptures and repeated runs for the Paradise Town Council, and widely as a decorated World War II veteran—will be honored Friday night (June 23) in a memorial service at the Paradise Ridge Senior Center.

McEtchin (pictured), 92, who died June 9, has artwork out in Paradise, most near his Wayland Road home. A bluntly spoken character, he vied for a council seat six times between 2000 and 2016 though never won. In 2014, he received the Congressional Gold Medal for his service in the “Devil’s Brigade”—an elite commando unit, formally called the First Special Service Force, that served in the Aleutian Islands and fought in Europe.

The memorial will start at 7 p.m. at 877 Nunneley Road.