Dr. Maria Paula Survilla

Dr. Maria Paula Survilla passed away quietly at home, surrounded by her friends and family, on April 25, 2020. Paula had recently been diagnosed with Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease, an extremely rare, incurable neurological disease. She is survived by her spouse, Eric, and their two children, Anton and Vaalik.

Paula was born in Madrid, Spain to Janka and Ivonka Survilla, both of whom were refugees from Belarus who had fled the fighting of WWII and eventually settled in Spain. Paula inherited a natural affinity for language, learning three simultaneously as a child (French, Spanish, and Belarusian), and from her parents, a strong sense of advocacy. In Spain, she was a child model appearing in many print and film advertisements. Her family moved to Canada in 1969 where Paula learned her fourth language, English, as she went to school and grew up.

As a teenager, Paula became active in advocacy for captive nations, especially Belarus, formerly independent nations that had been annexed by the Soviet Union. She was a founding member and chair of the Youth Canadian Ethnocultural Council. She studied Ethnomusicology at the University of Ottawa, was a member of the Governor Generals Foot Guards Band, and was employed as a tour guide for the House of Parliament and the Governor Generals Residence, both in Ottawa, Canada. In 1987 she married Eric Wachmann and together they moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan where Paula started her Masters and eventually Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology at the University of Michigan.

In 1991, Dr. Survilla was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to conduct research in Belarus which ultimately culminated in her acclaimed book "Of Mermaids and Rock Singers." Returning home, Paula taught at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro before she and Eric moved to Waverly to both teach at Wartburg College. At Wartburg Paula taught ethnomusicology and musicology in the music department in addition to many classes in the humanities. She was the Slife Distinguished Professor of Humanities and initiated many projects including the Hearthside Series and the Humanities Think Tank.

In 2008, Paula was appointed as the Executive Director for the Center for Belarusian Studies, an independent educational center founded by Ambassador (ret.) David Schwarz. The Center (now Foundation) relocated to Waverly and is one of the largest research centers of Belarusian politics and history outside of Belarus. She is also a founding member of the Waverly Chamber Music Series and served on their board as director of Marketing.

In 2011 Paula launched Knitbaahpurl, a creative, whimsical graphic arts company working within the fiber industry and encompassing all of the fiber arts. Her company is well represented in fiber stores across the United States and Europe. In 2016, Paula published her first children's book entitled "Over the Moon: A Sheep's Tale" which has become a favorite of children everywhere.

Paula was a devoted partner and a warm and caring mother. She was an accomplished artist and avid photographer, enjoyed climbing and hiking in the Adirondacks at the family cottage, and working in her garden. Her passion for ritual and sound inspired her to lead several student trips along the Camino da Santiago in northern Spain. She was passionate, determined, creative, independent, caring, and gentle. She will be missed greatly by her family and friends.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests you consider a donation to Cedar Valley Hospice whose incredible support helped Paula so much these past few weeks. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, Eric, Vaalik, and Anton have decided to postpone a celebration of life service until the fall.