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Paula Parris Obituary
Paula Jordan Parris, age 83, of Dunwoody, Georgia, went home to be with her husband and loved ones in the early hours of Monday, June 24, 2024. She is survived by her son, Robert Parris, Jr; and her daughter, Amy and her husband, Jeff Godwin of Grayson, Georgia.
Born in Forth Worth, Texas, Paula graduated from Texas Wesleyan College in Forth Worth and earned post graduate degrees from East Texas State University in Texarkana, Texas, and from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Paula devoted her life to education, teaching high school English and Spanish at schools in Texas, Oklahoma, and Georgia. She ended her career in Norcross High School in 2006, teaching there for 24 years. She was a strict teacher who demanded the best from her students and inspired many over her career. Paula was the first to start an AP program in Spanish at Norcross and was an International Baccalaureate teacher. In her retirement, she continued to serve members of GCREA (Gwinnett County Retired Educators Association) helping members navigate the complexities of the state health benefits.
She married her husband, Robert S. Parris, Sr. "Bob" in Shreveport, LA, in July 1962. She spent over six decades serving as a Sunday School teacher, working as a team with Bob who served as a children's minister throughout the Southwest and Southeast. She also had extensive experience writing Christian children's curriculums and co-authored a fourth grade English textbook for Houghton-Mifflin.
Paula did not have it in her to have a quiet retirement and spent those years traveling the world with her husband and volunteering with the Friends of the Dunwoody Library. Her work at the library allowed her to continue her lifelong advocacy of literacy and learning for her community. In her final years she devoted her life to caring for her husband, Bob, who suffered from Alzheimer's Disease.
Celebration of Life service will be held at Parkway Baptist Church at 5975 State Bridge Road in Duluth on Saturday, July 6, 2024 at 10 AM. Casual dress is appreciated.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Paula Parris
Charlotte A Wilson
June 26, 2025
Blessed greatly by her service and friendship.
Jane, Laura, Diane, Stephanie, Brian, and William Okpala
July 21, 2024
The Okpala siblings offer our deepest condolences to Mrs. Parris's family--we will always remember her for her love of Spanish and how dedicated she was to ensuring that all of her students truly learned and appreciated the language. May she rest in peace.
Beverly Wilson
July 6, 2024
I´m so sorry to hear of Paula´s passing. I worked with her at Norcross HS. So many memories...
Donna Post
July 6, 2024
It was a joy to teach 6th grade Sunday School at Wieuca Road Baptist with Paula from 1995 - 2005! She was my mentor and friend as we planned upcoming lessons, taught the kids, and corralled the kids during overnights. She blessed many lives, including mine.
Sarah Skinner
July 5, 2024
I taught with Paula at the start of my career at NHS (1994-2000). She was a true force for her students, and taught ME so much as a novice teacher. The impact she had will be felt for generations. I pray that her children and her extended family will be blessed with the peace of many wonderful memories.
Charlotte Wilson
July 5, 2024
Remembering Paula with appreciation, God has made her a blessing to many. Thanks to her for her service in God.
Judi Rogers
July 5, 2024
I won´t be in town for the celebration of life for Paula but I certainly will be thinking of your mom and all of her family. Paula was loved by all of us at Norcross and I have nothing but sweet memories. I´ve heard from students over the years about her positive impact on them. She was strict but she loved them and they knew that. When I first became principal at Norcross High in the 90´s we struggled to get the bells to ring on the exact minute class was to change. You could count on Paula letting us know if the time was off as she would scurry to the front office to let us know we were a minute late. It actually became a favorite memory to tease Paula about, especially when we got it right. Paula was also the person to pull me aside and let me know of any student who needed extra attention.
I can´t begin to tell you how many young lives she impacted. She will be missed.
Paul Wright
July 3, 2024
I remember Mrs. Parris teaching my elementary school Sunday School class. She was a wonderful teacher and had her hands quite full, as the class also contained Randy Shepley and Travis Atkins. We learned as much from her example as from the Bible stories she shared with us. Paula and her husband Bob were noble models of the Christian life. Always being kind and generous with their gifts and their time. I feel it is fair to say that the Wieuca Youth Group of the 1980s considerers it a privilege to have known and been taught by them both. There are simply no words.
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