Paul Folca was a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Torbay Hospital, Devon. He was born on 29 July 1933 in Cheltenham to Joseph and Cecilia Folca. His father had trained as an ecclesiastical joiner and worked at the renowned furniture design company Gordon Russell. During the Second World War, he worked on gliders for the war effort. Paul was educated at Cheltenham Grammar School, going on to win a place at Pembroke College, Cambridge to read languages. However, he took the unusual step of changing direction and decided to study medicine. This was in spite of fainting during an exploratory trip to a hospital while observing the setting up of a drip. Cambridge allowed him to switch, but because he had not studied any science he was required to return to school to gain the necessary A levels. Paul entered the London Hospital Medical School in 1955 to commence his clinical training. He qualified with the Bchir in 1958 and the MB in 1959. He then became a senior house officer on the professorial surgical unit. In 1961 he wrote a paper 'Studies with tritium-labelled hexoestrol in advanced breast cancer. Comparison of tissue accumulation of hexoestrol with response to bilateral adrenalectomy and oophorectomy' (*Lancet*. 1961 Oct 7;2[7206]:796-8). While working as a surgical house officer at the London Chest Hospital in 1964, he met his wife, Jennifer, a physiotherapist; they shared a common interest in sailing. It was during his time there that he decided to take up ophthalmology. He became a senior house officer at the Western Eye Hospital and then a registrar and a senior registrar at Moorfields Eye Hospital. In 1969 he published a paper on corneal vascularisation ('Corneal vascularization induced experimentally with corneal extracts' *Br J Ophthalmol*. 1969 Dec;53[12]:827-32), and in the same year took up the post of consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Torbay Hospital, Devon, where he worked for 20 years. He was one of a group of consultants that set-up Mount Stuart Hospital, the first private hospital in Torbay, which opened in 1984. From 1982 to 1988 he was a member of the Court of Examiners of the Royal College of Surgeons, and was chairman and senior examiner from 1987 to 1988. He was also a regional adviser in ophthalmology (south west) from 1987 to 1989. During his retirement, he continued to take a great interest in the NHS, writing letters to MP's and ministers, particularly concerning the increase in bureaucracy and privatisation of services. Once he retired, he was able to concentrate on his many interests. Paul became a black belt in judo, having taken it up at the age of 48, training locally and at the Budokwai Club in London. He was also a talented artist and in his seventies enrolled as a student on an art foundation course. He bound his own books, taking up this hobby when he found the cost of binding his ophthalmic journals excessive. This led to many beautifully bound books in leather. He developed a real talent for silversmithing, making many beautiful boxes, candlesticks, cutlery and pieces of jewellery. He was commissioned to make Pandora's silver box by an internationally renowned wood sculptor, which was incorporated in one of his pieces. He was concerned about animal welfare and was a supporter of Compassion in World Farming, actively promoting the charity by setting up a small stall in Newton Abbot market on a regular basis. He was an active letter writer on behalf of Amnesty International. Paul took a great interest in trees and was parish tree warden and chairman of the South Hams Tree Wardens from 2009 until his death. A few months before his death, he bought a wood at the mouth of the River Dart, but sadly did not live to enjoy it. Paul loved Devon and, at the age of 13, having spent a holiday on the River Dart, decided that was where he wanted to live. This was achieved by buying a 200-year-old cottage, which, with the surrounding garden and woodland, running mooring at the bottom of the garden and a wooden folkboat just across the river, took up many happy hours of maintenance. Paul Joseph Folca died on 13 February 2016. He was 82. He was survived by his wife Jennifer and two children, Catherine and James.