Rev. Paul Astbury, who shepherded the congregation at the Sherman Church for 14 years and balanced his pastoral duties with a quiet passion for literature and the natural world, died on April 27, 2026, at his home in Sherman, Connecticut. He was 78.

Born in Blue Hill, Maine, on February 10, 1948, to William and Lennea Astbury, he spent his early childhood in coastal Maine before his family relocated to Weston, Massachusetts, where he completed his secondary education. He earned a bachelor's degree in English and Classics from Houghton University, where he met Julie Nyquist. The couple married in 1978, beginning a 48-year partnership.

Following a vocational calling to the ministry, Mr. Astbury—known warmly to his parishioners as Pastor Paul—earned his degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 1982. He spent the first two decades of his career leading the Second Congregational Church in Douglas, Massachusetts. In 2002, he accepted a call to the Sherman Church, grounding his family in Connecticut and embedding himself deeply in the spiritual life of the town until his retirement.

Beyond the pulpit, Mr. Astbury was a man of varied intellectual and earthly pursuits. He found solace in hiking and gardening, studied the natural sciences, and remained a devoted reader, nursing a particular affection for J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings"—as well as a simple, lifelong fondness for peanuts.

He is survived by his wife, Julie; his son, Jonathan; his daughter, Linnea; and three grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at the Sherman Church. Arrangements were handled by the Lillis Funeral Home.