Soap Star Paul Avery Dies
All My Children Star Paul Avery and Wife Sheila Die in Tragic New Jersey House Fire
Anonymous
Key Points
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Kyle Avery confirmed the deaths with a Facebook post that included: “I’m devastated to share that our parents, Paul and Sheila Garry Avery, passed away early this morning… We’re grateful to the Blairstown Fire Department for their efforts. Service plans to follow.”
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Beyond entertainment and journalism, Avery’s biography included military and outdoor pursuits: he served in the U.S. National Guard and spent “a year as a helicopter crew chief in the Vietnam War,” and was described as an “avid skydiver and motorcyclist.”
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The reports specify that two daughters survive the couple: Kyle and Parker.
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A detail not in the summary: one account says Avery appeared in “more than 300 commercials,” and it also states his All My Children run was “12 years” before his exit from the soap.
Soap opera actor Paul Avery, 81, and his wife Sheila, 80, died early Tuesday morning after a fire tore through their home in Blairstown, New Jersey. Firefighters pulled both from the burning house around 1:15 a.m. on June 16, but CPR could not save them. Deadline and The Wrap both confirmed the deaths.
Avery was best known for playing Hughie the bartender on the daytime soap All My Children for 12 years. His daughter Kyle broke the news publicly. "I'm devastated to share that our parents, Paul and Sheila Garry Avery, passed away early this morning," she wrote on Facebook. Two daughters — Kyle and Parker — survive the couple.
Firefighters Pulled Couple From Engulfed Home
Neighbors spotted smoke and flames near the Avery home just before 1 a.m. The Blairstown Fire Department got the call at 12:53 a.m. Crews arrived at 1:05 a.m. to find the house heavily engulfed. They entered under extreme conditions and pulled Paul and Sheila out by roughly 1:15 a.m., according to Newsy Today.
EMS workers performed CPR on both victims for nearly an hour. Neither survived. Kyle Avery thanked first responders in her public statement, calling out the Blairstown Fire Department for their efforts. The Warren County Prosecutor's Office and the New Jersey State Fire Marshal are now investigating. No cause has been released.
Twelve Years as Hughie Before Leaving All My Children
Avery built a long career in Hollywood as a character actor. He appeared in more than 300 television commercials. He had guest roles on Soap and Three's Company. He also had a part in the 1978 film Superman, according to Deadline.
His biggest role came on All My Children, where he played Hughie the bartender for 12 years. The character was a regular fixture at the show's Pine Valley bar, a hub for the soap's main cast. The Wrap noted that Avery represented a disappearing breed of character actors who provided what colleagues called the "connective tissue" of daytime television.
Vietnam Vet Turned Local Editor in New Jersey
Avery's life away from the camera was just as full. He served in the U.S. National Guard and spent a year as a helicopter crew chief in the Vietnam War. Friends described him as an "adrenaline seeker" who stayed an avid skydiver and motorcyclist well into his 70s, according to Yahoo News.
Later in life, Avery made a sharp career turn into local journalism. He served as executive editor of the Ridge View Echo, a community paper in New Jersey. Colleagues said he brought the same discipline to the newsroom that he had shown over 12 years on a soap opera set. His death leaves a leadership gap at the publication.
Investigation Ongoing, Service Plans Still Being Arranged
As of June 19, fire marshals are still doing a forensic sweep of the Blairstown property. No cause has been confirmed. Officials have not said whether the fire appears accidental or suspicious, though no evidence of foul play has been suggested, according to Newsy Today.
The Avery family has not yet announced funeral or memorial details. Kyle Avery's statement said only that "service plans" would follow. The Ridge View Echo and The New Jersey Herald have both published tributes. Former All My Children cast members have also taken to social media to mourn Avery, sharing clips of his years behind the Pine Valley bar.
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