From Soap Opera Star to Hometown Hero: Paul Avery's Unexpected Life

Paul Avery lived the kind of life that doesn’t fit neatly into a single chapter. The All My Children actor, who spent 12 years tending bar as Hughie at Foxy’s on daytime television, was so much more than those soap opera credits—and his final chapter, a tragedy that claimed both him and his wife, Sheila Avery, reminds us just how much depth can hide behind a familiar face.

On the morning of Tuesday, June 16, New Jersey State Police responded to a house fire in Blairstown just before 1 a.m. When firefighters arrived at the scene, the home was already engulfed in flames. Paul, 81, and Sheila were found unconscious inside. Despite CPR efforts, both died shortly after. The cause remains under investigation, but the loss sent shockwaves through a community that had come to know and depend on this remarkable couple in ways that went far beyond his appearances in the 1978 Superman film or his 300-plus commercial credits.

What makes Paul’s story so compelling is how little the average viewer might have known about the full scope of his life. He was a Vietnam veteran and a licensed pilot. He founded the Ridge View Echo, a newspaper he served as executive editor, becoming a fixture in local journalism. On weekends, he could be found at the Jersey Ridge Soaring facility at the Blairstown Airport, where he’d transitioned from powered flight to gliders with the natural ease of someone who’d mastered the art of living fully. Kevin Martin, owner of the glider business, captured the impact perfectly: it was almost expected to see Paul on weekends—his presence was that integral to the fabric of the place.

His daughter, Kyle Avery, announced the deaths on Facebook with words that speak to what really mattered: I’m devastated to share that our parents, Paul and Sheila Garry Avery, passed away early this morning. We loved them so much, and they loved us so much, and nobody ever had to wonder if that was so. It’s a simple statement, but it cuts to the heart of what Paul Avery actually built in his life—not a resume, but relationships that left no room for doubt.

Joe Phalon, an employee of the Ridge View Echo, said it best when he reflected on Paul’s passing: I always like to call Paul the most interesting man in the world, because he was when you consider everything he’s done in his life. Acting, skydiving, Vietnam veteran, started a newspaper. His death is going to leave a real void in this community. Not just Blairstown, but the towns around as well. That void—it’s the measure of a life truly lived. Paul Avery wasn’t just a guy with credits; he was a guy who showed up, who built things, and who mattered.