Paul Aaron Sachs, a businessman who worked in men's clothing manufacturing and later became a sculptor, died of cancer Nov. 18 at his daughter's home in Silverton, Ore.

The former Pikesville resident was 97.

Born in Annapolis, he was the son of Michael Sachs, a furrier, and Ida Sachs, a seamstress. His parents had left Lithuania, where they had been persecuted, and settled in Annapolis.

He was a 1937 graduate of Annapolis High School and received a scholarship to St. John's College, from which he received a bachelor's degree. He headed the school's squash team.

After graduation, he worked for the old Glenn L. Martin Co. in Middle River.

According to a biography prepared by his son, Mr. Sachs enlisted in the Army shortly after the Pearl Harbor attack.

“My father told me that when he arrived at Pearl Harbor, about a month after the bombing, there were still bullet holes in the barracks,” said his son, Alan Richard Sachs of Cockeysville. “Blood remained scattered about the base.”

Mr. Sachs became a Pacific Theater medic. “He landed on the islands of Guam and Saipan. Near the end of the war, he would watch bombers fly off a cliff at the end of the Tinian runway,” his son said. “The pilots were practicing for the atomic bomb flight and seeking to remove unnecessary weight from the bombers.”

Mr. Sachs left military service as a technical sergeant.

After the war, he settled in Baltimore and joined his wife's family business, the Baltimore Raincoat Co. It later became Park Circle Clothes, a wholesale men's suit, sport coat and pants manufacturer.

He worked in customer relations and operations. He remained in the men's clothing business at Paramount Clothes until the late 1970s.

He and his son then founded a legal publishing house, Rykim International Publishing Co., which they sold in 1985 to Aspen Publishers.

Mr. Sachs then retired.

“My father was a Renaissance man,” his son said. “He was a talented bridge player and he could do the New York Times crossword puzzle — with a pen.

“There was nothing he could not make or fix,” he said. “In the 1960s he built a 30-foot cabin cruiser from scratch, using nothing but plans he purchased from Popular Mechanics for guidance. It took five years.”

His son said Mr. Sachs cut the parts for the boat in the winter and assembled them in the spring and summer. He boiled water and soaked towels to place on plywood to bend the pieces around the bow of the boat — then screw them carefully in place. When the boat was completed, Mr. Sachs fitted it with sheet fiberglass.

“That craft would never sink. We had the boat for years and kept it on the Magothy,” said his son.

Mr. Sachs also embraced art. He studied pencil drawing, pastels, watercolors and sculpture at the old Catonsville Community College.

He worked in metal, wood and alabaster. His son had a studio built for him where he could chisel and polish items by hand. He also worked with Baltimore sculptor Frieda Sohn.

“He was kind, loving, strong in his beliefs and bestowed wise advice to anyone and everyone who sought it,” his son said. “He would also say, ‘Nice day anyway' when things did not go as desired; and ‘more better' when he thought something could be improved upon.”

After leaving Baltimore to live with his daughter, Mr. Sachs would watch Orioles games — 162 games a season — attired in a jersey and cap.

Mr. Sachs was also a 70-year Mason and belonged to St. John's Lodge.

“My father lived a rich, full and dynamic life of love, passion and compassion,” said his son. “He left behind no regrets and millions of great memories.”

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Dec. 11 at Temple Oheb Shalom's Gordon Chapel, 7310 Park Heights Ave.

In addition to his son, survivors include his wife of 73 years, Shirley Lee Kolodner, a retired Baltimore City schools teacher; a daughter, Kate Davidson of Silverton, Ore.; two sisters, Annie Frieman of Silverton, Ore. and Beatrice Dryer of Cherry Hill, N.J.; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

jacques.kelly@baltsun.com