Merv Paddison was born in Toowoomba in 1946. After completing his primary and secondary education there, Merv went to Teachers College at Kelvin Grove in Brisbane in 1964. His teaching career began at Rangeville State School in Toowoomba. By July 1967, he was appointed to a one teacher school at Watson Crossing State School, 27 miles south east of Texas. Several transfers followed over the years until Merv was appointed to Golden Beach State School as Principal in 1985. He remained there until 1999 and retired in 2000.
While at Golden Beach, Merv was invited to join Rotary and was inducted into the Rotary Club of Caloundra on 23 May 1987. His wife, Anne, was a special guest at that memorable meeting. Because of his teaching background, Merv soon became Youth Service Director. He was President of the Rotary Club of Caloundra for the 1993-94 year. It was during his term as president that the club voted to invite women into this club. However, the first woman was not inducted until 2000 when the club changed to a breakfast club.
In 2009, Merv was invited to be the first district chair for RYDA Youth Driver Awareness in Rotary District 9600. During that time, five centres for the presentation of the RYDA program were established in Rotary District 9600. If one life can be saved as a result of this program, Rotarians' efforts have been worthwhile.
Rotary Youth exchange has been another area for Merv to follow as well as Group Study exchange or Vocational Training Team as it is now called.
Merv says his "greatest satisfaction in Rotary has been my involvement in Humanitarian projects in the Solomon Islands".
Anne is actively involved in the Inner Wheel Club of the Sunshine Coast. Anne and Merv are also very involved in Turtlecare here on the Sunshine Coast.
Any spare time they have, is taken up with following the exploits of their 10 grandchildren.