Ingeborg Lydia Erika Paulus
November 16, 1929 - February 27, 2023
Bellingham, Washington - Ingeborg (Inge) Lydia Erika Paulus left this world on Tuesday February 27th 2023 at age 93. She lived a rich and varied life. She was born on November 16th 1929 in a small border station between Germany and France. She lived in Bad Duerkheim for three years after the death of her mother but then moved back to St. Germanshof after her father remarried and brought his four children home again.
After the end of WW2, with no safe school available, Inge apprenticed at two farms in the Palatinate with the aim of becoming an Agricultural Home Economist. This soon became impossible after the devaluation of the German Mark (to pay for the WW2 damages that the Germans had caused). There was no money to pay for school.
From then on Inge did odd jobs until 1952, when she immigrated to Canada where she worked in an office. In 1958 she decided to attend the University of British Columbia, from which she graduated with a BA and an MA. After doing research in addiction she decided to get a PhD in the Sociology of Law
at the London School of Economics in London, England. Immigrating to the US in 1971, Inge taught Sociology at Western Washington University.
In 1976 Inge and Roy Potter, a widower, were married. They traveled all over the world for Roy's job and on their own as well for many years. A few weeks each summer were spent walking in England and Germany and a few weeks each winter were spent in Hawaii.
Inge and Roy celebrated birthdays and holidays, entertained and were entertained by friends and family. In short, they had a great life together until Roy died at age 100. Inge, who was ten years younger, followed at age 93.
Inge is survived by her Paulus family nieces and nephews and Potter family children.
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Published by Bellingham Herald on Mar. 12, 2023.

Memories and Condolences
for Ingeborg Paulus

6 Entries

Liz Healy

December 12, 2024

Inge Paulus was one of my favorite professors and friend. I will always remember when she showed us around London. She graciously taught us about traveling in Europe and life. Inge and Roy were the not only friends but an inspiration!

Deena Rathkamp

June 11, 2023

Our family lived next door to Inge and Roy in the late nineties. She was diligent about picking blackberries by setting up her ladder on the alley and then getting to work making out-of-this world berry pie and the loveliest array of German coookies for us. When I asked her for a pie crust lesson, she came over and mentored me in the wisdom of how to make a tender flakey crust. She valued a tidy space and would set out to 'making order' when she cleaned up her house, and expression we still use to this day. When I gifted her a ceramic pot, she thanked us and kindly explained that she had just a little space and told us about her 'consumables only' philosophy. From then on, that is what we did. Inge had a deep intelligence and thoughtful presence about her. Years later after we moved away, I would see her at the WWU Rec Center every morning, first thing. When I would go on commenting about her being an inspiration to me, she chuckled humbly and explained that she needed to be strong to maneuver Roy's wheelchair. She was a spark in our lives and will be missed.

Brandon Harnisch,MSW

May 20, 2023

Doctor Paulus was one of my professors at WWU back in 1978 and 1979, she was an outstanding scholar and I feel privileged at being one of her undergraduate students. Many of her students went on to lengthy careers in law enforcement or human services due to the impact of her and her colleagues.

Eric Westberg

May 3, 2023

I knew Inge from when I was a kid (mid 70s) until recently. She was a longtime friend of my Mom´s (Shelagh). She always took an interest in me. I enjoyed meeting her mother in the 90s as well. My last contacts with her broke new ground for us, in the form of one-on-one phonecalls.

I grilled her about her travels, and among other stories I marvelled at her describing being in Addis Ababa in 1974, right when the Emperor was overthrown.

She was a great friend to my family and I´m thankful to have had her in my life.

Eric Westberg
Vancouver, BC

Jack Gray

March 14, 2023

For whatever reason this past weekend, while rummaging through old kept papers in my closet, I came across a heartfelt letter to me from Inge Paulus offering support and interest in my dilemma at the time. It was the late 60´s, and I was resisting participating in the American war in Vietnam, and thereby facing incarceration.
Dr. Paulus shared a few challenges she would encounter in her own beginning career choices and experiences. As I was a recent student who also had appreciation and participation in some of her research interests, I treasured my time with her, and this old letter. She was a teacher and a mentor who made a difference in my life, always curious, always questioning, and forever meaningful.

Gina LaFreniere Weigum (daughter of Teresa LaFreniere)

March 14, 2023

My mom worked with Dr. Paulus at WWU in Sociology and always spoke so highly of her. She adored Dr. Paulus and Dr. Anastasio so, that she ended up going back to school and got a degree in Sociology. My thoughts are the Paulus family. Thank you, for the impact she made on so many, including my mom.

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