Paul Justus Freud, age 87, passed away on Sunday, January 4, 2026, in Palm City, Florida. He was born on September 22, 1938, in Mineola, New York, in the midst of the historic "Long Island Express" hurricane—a fitting beginning for a life distinguished by energy, curiosity, and resilience.

As a teenager, Paul moved to Shaker Heights, Ohio, and later to Hingham, Massachusetts, where he developed a lifelong love of sailing. He attended Dartmouth College, graduating with a degree in Physics, and went on to earn his PhD from Rutgers University. While at Dartmouth, he met his first love, Janet Mattucci, whom he married shortly after graduation.

Paul began his professional career as a Research Fellow at Battelle in Columbus, Ohio, where he worked for nine years. He later moved his family to Furlong, Pennsylvania, to join Leeds & Northrup as a Principal Scientist. Paul was an inventor and problem solver. Over the course of his career as a physicist, Paul earned 23 patents - a professional accomplishment of which he was deeply proud.  His most widespread invention, a solid state thermostat, was installed in millions of kitchen ovens in the 1980s and 1990s.

Alongside his career, Paul was devoted to his family. He coached soccer and basketball, taught his children to ski, and created countless memories through  skiing in VT and cross-country camping trips in a custom-built van with a pop-up trailer in tow. These adventures—filled with hiking, camping, and exploring the country together — built a strong foundation in his children for enjoying travel and the outdoors.

His interests were diverse. In his spare time, Paul was a skilled and enthusiastic woodworker, often found tinkering in his workshop and crafting thoughtful, one-of-a-kind gifts for friends and family. He was an avid tennis player and a member of the Buckingham Racket Club for 40 years.  After the kids moved out, Paul and Janet had the time to take up golf both in Doylestown and in Florida.  Paul was known for his warm smile, competitive nature, quick wit, curiosity and the many friendships he formed throughout every chapter of his life.

Later in life, Paul met his second love Jennifer James, whom he married August 2022. Together they retired to Florida while maintaining a home in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. They shared a love of travel, visiting family and friends, playing bridge, and theater.

Paul was preceded in death by his wife of nearly 50 years, Janet Mattucci Freud, his parents, Amelia Lettkan Freud and Henry Philip Freud, and his brother, Raymond Freud. He is survived by his wife, Jennifer James; his daughter Cathy Winsor and her husband Chris, and their children Maddie, Cole, and Derek; his son Paul Freud and his wife Cindy, and their children Taylor (Will), Connor, and Morgan; and his daughter Karen Davis and her husband Brian, and their children Colin and Dylan.

A celebration of life will follow at a later date. Donations in Paul's memory can be made to Ann Silverman Community Health Clinic or Project Lift .