Last week, a gathering of regulars, family, and friends came together at The Reading Gaol in Ballard to say goodbye to Paul Winters, who opened the bar in 1997. He died on Sunday, January 30, 2011, after a long battle with cancer.

Over 200 longstanding bar patrons attended the wake, some standing outside to hear the eulogies from inside the crowded pub.

"We had an amazing wake," said his wife Sandra Meigs. "It was an historic night."

Patrons said goodbye to both Paul Winters and the pub as it was sold to new owners.

Born in Omaha, Nebraska on July 6, 1948, Winters moved to Seattle in 1974 after four years in the army and graduating from the University of Maryland. He worked as a social worker for the State of Washington until the late 1980s when Winters opened his first pub, La Boheme, in Phinney Ridge.

Winters was one of the first pubs in Seattle to serve micro brews and La Boheme quickly developed a comfortable neighborhood place with a steady clientele.

In 1996, he lost the lease to La Boheme and the following year, Winters opened The Reading Gaol, named after the Oscar Wilde ballad.

"I met him 14 years ago when he opened The Reading Gaol," said friend Brian Conner. "I use to come in for Monday night Trivia."

Conner said that N.W. 65th Street was a rundown area at that time with "fishermen-type bars and obliterated patrons."

"There was some drug trafficking and after the former bar owner lost his license and killed himself over it, Paul took over the bar and turned it into an English Pub," he said.

One of the first respectable, clean places on the 65th St. strip. Winters' patrons frequented the pub for fine brews, Monday night Trivia, and pool.

"He revitalized that particular area which was pretty rundown at the time. He gave the area a clean, viable neighborhood place and more businesses started to come in." Conner said. "He doesn't get enough recognition for that."

Conner said Winters was a kind man with lots of generosity but also a tough businessman. "He was frugal enough to run the business for as long as he did," he said.

Winters sold the bar to some partners because he wanted to retire and spent time with his new wife.

Peder Sunde, one of the new owners of the bar said Winters was "a man of his word who had a fantastic sense of humor."

Sandra Meigs met Winters in 2007 on the internet.

"Our first date was on October 20, 2007, here in Seattle," Meigs said. "I fell in love with him and his bar immediately. I loved the literary symbolism of Paul's naming the bar after the Oscar Wilde ballad."

Winters and Meigs were married on July 24, 2010 in Port Townsend, a mere six months before his death.

"I think Paul knew he was dying for about a year, but didn't want to admit it to himself, plus he wanted to save me from knowing he was suffering.  He was doing his battle privately," she said.  

"I think he married me to make his life complete.  I feel so privileged that he chose me."

Winters died from carcinoid, a rare form of cancer. He was 63 years old.

"I wish more people knew about because it is so often misdiagnosed," said Meigs.

For more information, visit carcinoid.org