HUNTINGTON â Composer and Marshall University professor emeritus Paul Whear, 95, died last week after a lifetime of creating music for audiences and performers alike. âPaul did not write just to make Paul Whear a better person; he was not writing to satisfy his ego,â said Don Williams, professor emeritus at Marshall University and friend of Whear. âHe was writing for an audience, the audience and player, whether they were in junior high or a professional; he was able to write for them.â A former professor of music theory and composition, Whear was known as a talented composer and conductor who demanded excellence from those who performed his work, Williams said.