Paul Langmuir, 67, died unexpectedly of a heart attack at home in Providence on April 30. Born in Albany and a life-long summer resident of Martha’s Vineyard, Paul received a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and worked for several advertising agencies in Providence and Boston as an art director, before establishing his own design studio in 1980, specializing in brochures, books, and annual reports. His award-winning work while at the Creamer agency in Providence helped elevate the agency’s New England-wide reputation for excellence. He also taught in the Illustration Department at RISD, and took great delight in being known among students as “the teacher in the suit.” Paul is survived by his wife, Jane, an architectural designer; their son, Karl Langmuir, and his wife, Corryn, and their children, Hannah, Grace and Meredith; their daughter, Christian Foster, and her husband, Christopher, and their three children, Noah, Zachary, and Marlee. He is also survived by his sisters Susan Langmuir and Lynn Langmuir. Paul was a voracious collector of images, classical and folk music, magazines, books, and was a creator of cartoons, portraits, paintings, and ribald illustrations. His watercolors of barns, boats and wind on the water, influenced by his time on Martha’s Vineyard and world travels, were shown on the island and at the Providence Art Club, of which he was a member. His interests were deep and far-ranging. His love of music was life-long and passionate. His knowledge of the history and work of illustrators and designers was encyclopedic. He was an athlete and fisherman, wine expert, world traveler, photographer, carpenter and legendary host. He reveled in his role as grandfather. His devotion and service to St. Martin’s Church was open-ended. His involvement with charitable causes earned him the Bishop Higgins Award in 2007. Both Paul and Jane loved Scotland and traveled there many times, delighted by its crags and castles, its heaths and windswept seas. For very special occasions he would don his kilt and introduce friends to a new single malt. He mesmerized friends and family with tales of his travels, artists he had known, and projects he was immersed in. He also held forth on issues of the day that caught his eye, and always shared his wonder and amazement at life’s and art’s possibilities. His wit was infectious, and his generosity was boundless. The family requests that donations be made to St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Providence, R.I., or to Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island. A service will be held at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Providence 11 am on Saturday, May 8.
