When you work at DEN, you can’t get closer to home than Painted Prairie. It was one of the incredible bonuses that Paul Thompson recognized when he and his wife, Liz fell in love with a home near Mulberry Park in August 2021. Paul has always had aviation in his veins. “Being in the sky is my happy place!” he says. With flight time in a Cessna 172, a WWII B-17 bomber, and a Goodyear blimp, it’s fitting that Paul “landed” a career with Southwest Airlines that has spanned more than 24 years in positions at Dallas’ Love Field, the SWA Dallas Corporate office, and most recently at DEN, where he serves as a ramp agent for the airline.

Paul’s love for flight also led him to a second career as a freelance aviation journalist. He shares his passion by writing about commercial aircraft production and the passenger experience. This side hustle has taken him to fascinating destinations including France, Dubai and Hong Kong.

Paul grew up in Houston where he spent his younger days playing baseball, training their family beagles for dog shows, and singing in the school choir (when he wasn’t flying in his Dad’s Cessna). A Geography graduate from Texas State, Paul met his wife, Liz, in San Marcos, TX, and after marrying, moved to Dallas where he launched his career at the Southwest Corporate office. After 13 years, his career moved them to the Denver area, where their two daughters Kimberly (18) and Mia (15) were born.

The 10-minute drive to work is hard to beat, but Paul and his family are even happier about the community and connections they’ve found at Painted Prairie. When his wife and daughters were traveling over the holidays recently, Paul’s neighbor included him in their Thanksgiving. Another neighbor delivered medicine to his doorstep when he had COVID, and yet another clears their sidewalks with his snowblower.

Paul has recently taken up hiking as a hobby. He looks forward to exploring trails in the nearby mountains and Colorado’s many beautiful state parks this summer. He’s also an avid baseball fan and attends games at Coors Field, especially when his hometown Houston Astros are in town!

Fun fact: Paul has a lifetime batting average of .750 against Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan. (Nevermind that it was a company-sponsored softball game played where Ryan pitched for both teams). To top it off, Nolan turns out to be Liz’s 3rd cousin!