I have often told friends and family that they need to write out their final requests now while they are living so their family and friends won't have to come in at a sorrowful time and try to put together a service with no true knowledge of your final requests. Since I have health issues, I decided to put mine together and edit it as needed...
Hey, Hey, Paula was born November 18,1950, in San Antonio, Texas to Max Howry and Thelma Laverne. The daughter of a career military man she spent her growing-up years living in various places including: Texas, Illinois, Germany, Ohio, Kentucky, California and Iowa.
In 1968 she received her GED from Southeastern Iowa Community College in West Burlington, Iowa and then went on to later graduate in 1991 from Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs with an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Interpreting for the Deaf. She then commenced to graduate again from Iowa Western in 1993 with an Associate in Arts and an Associate in Science with a major in Psychology. In 1996, she completed her junior year at Iowa State University, majoring in English and minoring in Educational Computing.
Prior to relocating to Council Bluffs to attend college, she worked in Fort Madison, Iowa for Big A Auto Parts for ten years. After graduating from Iowa Western, she went on to Interpret for the Deaf and teach sign language in the local area, as well as in Lyman, Wyoming and Ames, Iowa. After interpreting for ten years, in 1997, she went to work for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a Facilities Management Office Assistant until she became ill in 2001 due to congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy.
On December 30, 1982 she was baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo, Illinois. This step would bring much joy in serving in the remainder of her life in various callings including Primary, Relief Society, Young Women's, Music, Interpreting, Missionary and Family History. She loved each and every calling she was blessed with and found it hard when released to move on to another. On May 30, 1987 she received her endowments in the Chicago Illinois Temple.
On September 10, 1969 in Biggsville, Illinois, she married Michael F. Sr. They were blessed with two children, Annette Marie and Michael Francis Jr. With Mike serving in the US Marines, their young family would see tours of duty in North Carolina and California. They were later divorced and the family eventually moved to Iowa.
On November 29, 1982, she married Larry in Montrose, Iowa.
They were blessed with a daughter Calla Renee.
Paula's love for researching family history flourished and put her in contact with many “cousins” and new found friends all over the United States. During her later years, as her health permitted, she would spend many hours compiling her family's genealogy, and the genealogy of others, as well. She worked when her health cooperated in preparing her ancestors to have their temple work done, so that their families could be sealed together forever. She was amazed how many babies would find her that others did not have in their family trees on the same lines. She would often say, “It is like they are calling out to me, 'Please don't forget me!' “
She loved to travel, write stories, poems, journal and loved to work on the computer and loved the Internet and all the good it brought into her life. One of her favorite websites that she frequented was UnsolvedMysteries.com. There she became know as “Hey,Hey,Paula”. She would make birthday posts for everyone and loved all the members she got to know, both through the “net” and also some she was able to meet in person.
Paula's favorite calling was that of mother and “Grandma Paula”, as her grandchildren Kayla Marie and Zachary Thomas called her. She loved spending time with them and learning about their latest baseball or volleyball game. She especially enjoyed the times she got to play “grandma” and had one-on-one time with them. Although they lived many miles apart, they were always in her heart and made her very proud.
Paula is survived by her daughter Annette (John) of Montgomery, Alabama and their children Kayla and Zachary, daughter Calla (Jeff) of Council Bluffs, brothers William (Gayle) Jr. of Goldsboro, North Carolina and Darryl (Gen) of Fort Madison, Iowa, sister Lisa of Council Bluffs, as well as aunts, cousins, nieces and one nephew and friends. She was preceded in death by her father and mother, son and brothers Max Allen and Jeffrey Keith.
She also leaves behind her “other children”, Pepper, Targe', Tigra and Shaft.
Funeral services will be at The Council Bluffs Stake Center, of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Burial will be in Aspen Grove Cemetery, Burlington, Iowa near her son Michael.
In lieu of flowers, Hey,Hey,Paula has requested that memorials be directed to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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