Betty Jane Paulsen

Betty "Jane" Paulsen, 88, passed away peacefully at her Healdsburg home on Sunday, August 27, 2023 with her three children and loving caregiver Asenaca by her side.

Jane, as she was known to her family and friends, was born in Ohio on Christmas Eve in 1934, in the middle of the Great Depression, prior to the start of World War II. She was the fourth of nine children born to Fred and Lucile Cox. Understanding hard work at a young age, she grew up on a farm in Delaware, Ohio, where they raised pigs, milked cows, and harvested corn and soybeans. Jane was seven years old when she and her family were quarantined for six weeks due to an outbreak of Scarlet Fever. Her father was not allowed to come home during that time.

Jane graduated from Bellpoint High School in Delaware, then later joined the Women's Army Corps (WAC). She worked at a number of hospitals and as a medical tech at Fort Ord, California. In 1953 during the Korean War, she was stationed in Japan just south of Tokyo at Camp Zama where she worked as a nurse in the maternity ward. During her time in Japan, she climbed Mount Fuji, learned Japanese and made life-long friends.

After her honorable discharge from the Army in 1956, she came to California and worked in various hospitals including Shriners Hospital in San Francisco.

Jane met her husband, Pat Paulsen, at a club in San Francisco, as they watched the first ever televised presentation of the Russian Ballet -- it was the Bolshoi Theater's first tour of the United States, occurring at the height of the Cold War. The two soon married and had three children. When Pat, an aspiring comedian and performer, was invited to join the cast of the 1960s Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, they moved to Los Angeles. In the early 1970s, they left Hollywood, buying a 350-acre ranch in Cloverdale where they planted wine grapes and eventually started their iconic winery, Pat Paulsen Vineyards. Their winery produced a number of award-winning wines, and were even served at the White House on two occasions at official state dinners. The winery closed in the 1990s.

During this time, they also owned and promoted a popular summer stock theater, the Cherry County Playhouse, in Traverse City, Michigan. Partnering with long-time friends Neil and Joni Rosen, they produced professional stage plays and musicals, including numerous world premieres. Several celebrities and well-known actors got their start at the Playhouse.

In addition to her work in wine and theater, and raising her three children, Jane was very active in the community and was well-known for her kindness and generous spirit. She also volunteered answering calls for the suicide and crisis hotline. She was quick to offer help, loved to make soup for friends and neighbors, volunteered often and was beloved by all who met her. Jane loved animals and nature, and enjoyed tending to her garden.

She was the proud grandma of two boys, but after the sudden tragic death of her 2-year-old grandson, Liam, she devoted her life to help raise her only grandson, Jaden.

She is survived by her three children, Teresa Paulsen, Montgomery Paulsen, and Justin Paulsen; grandson Jaden Paulsen; her two brothers Kenneth (Patricia) Cox and David (Brenda) Cox; her 94-year-old sister-in-law Gean Paulsen; and dozens of nieces and nephews all over the country. She is predeceased by her grandson Liam Paulsen; siblings Wilma (David) Sloan, Don (Heidi) Cox, Rosemary (Don) Greene, Ron Cox, Bill (Loretta) Cox, and Ruth (Ward) Banner.

The family wishes to thank all of her friends, family and neighbors who helped and cared for her during the last few years, especially her friend and angel Cathy Gruschka, who never let a day go by without checking on her or bringing food, flowers and gifts.

A celebration of her extraordinary life and military flag ceremony will be held at her home in Healdsburg on Saturday, October 7 at 1:00pm.

Donations can be made in her honor to Redwood Empire FOOD BANK, Santa Rosa, California, or the charity of your choice.