Name: Memorial service for Bobbie Rhea Paden
Start: 2020-08-15T19:00:00.000Z
Location: live streamed at https://www.sibi.cc/queens-request

Lubbock- Bobbie Rhea (Johnson) Paden, age 91, long-time Lubbock resident passed away from this world on April 30, 2020. Born on February 22, 1929 in Rotan, TX to Joe E. Johnson and Dovie Archer Johnson, she was the middle of five children. The family moved to Lubbock in 1944 and she graduated from Lubbock High School in 1946. In December of that year, she married Gerald Paden, also of Lubbock. After his graduation from Abilene Christian University, he preached in Meadow and in 1953 they moved with their children Joe Michael and Cynthia to Rome, Italy.

The Padens spent a total of 14 years in Italy where they served as missionaries under the sponsorship of the churches of Christ, ten years in Rome (where their youngest son, Ted, was born) and four in Pisa. While on hiatus, the family also spent 3 years in New Home where Gerald served as minister. In 1971 Bobbie and Gerald returned to Lubbock where Gerald joined the faculty of Sunset International Bible Institute (formerly Sunset School of Preaching). Based on her missionary experiences, Bobbie became an instructor in Women's classes helping wives of future preachers and missionaries prepare for their ministries. Her passion for people and missions led her to accept the position of the first Dean of Women for the School. Once retired from that role, Bobbie continued to serve the School as librarian, historian and archivist.

Hospitality is a Christian virtue and Bobbie and Gerald were consummate hosts. Thousands of people gathered around her table both in Italy and in Lubbock. She learned the art of Italian cuisine from her Italian friends and church family and brought those recipes to Lubbock. She always felt that her legacy was bringing Spaghetti alla Carbonara to West Texas. One of her favorite sayings is "people wait on pasta, pasta does not wait on people" - this is especially true for Carbonara.

Bobbie is survived by her youngest sister, Norma Sue (Bebe) Johnson of Arlington Texas; sister-in-law Patsy (Paden) Whitson of Friendswood, Texas; her children, Joe Michael Paden and wife Lynn of Westerville, OH; Cynthia (Paden) Jennings and husband Mack of Sun Lakes, AZ; and Ted Paden and wife Lura of Rio Rancho, NM; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

A private, family only memorial will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, August 15, 2020 at Sunset Church of Christ. The service will be live streamed at https://www.sibi.cc/queens-request

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Sunset International Bible Institute, 3723 34th St, Lubbock, TX 79410 in the name of "Gerald and Bobbie Paden World Mission Fund." Use PayPal online or call Sunset's Finance Office, 806-788-3336, for credit card donations.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Lubbock Avalanche-Journal from Aug. 12 to Aug. 13, 2020.

Memories and Condolences
for Bobbie Paden

Sponsored by Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

1 Entry

Steve Sikes

August 15, 2020

In 1981, my wife and I and our 5 month-old son flew into Lubbock, Texas, for me to attend the National Youth Ministers Conference. We stayed four nights with Gerald and Bobbie Paden. I was a full-time youth minister and grad student at Indiana University at the time, and my wife and I were close friends with Mike Paden, a fellow doctoral student at IU, and his wife Lynn. Instead of attending the NYMC, I ended up shadowing Gerald Paden for 3 days as he taught and ministered at the Sunset School of Preaching. It just so happened that my older brother also flew into Lubbock to attend the NYMC, plus, one of our younger brothers (I have 12 siblings) was a student at LCC (now LCU) at the time. One night my older brother brought our younger brother (who brought his LCC girlfriend) over to the Paden's for supper. Gerald wanted to know if I had anyone else I wanted to invite. Ha. Bobbie was the perfect host to all six of us out-of-towners and prepared and served us a delicious pasta meal. Our time with the Paden's led to almost four decades of my "shadowing" Gerald Paden via his Sunset classes via audio and video tapes, attending his lectureships, meetings, and extending an ever-open invitation for Gerald to speak wherever we lived. Gerald was my favorite teacher (his son, Mike, a close second). God used Gerald's teaching and mentoring to transform my life and ministry. Now, after watching and listening to Bobbie's funeral, hearing her story, visualizing her spiritual gifts constantly at work, I have a much clearer picture of the Paden family, and how it joyfully and fruitfully flourished during the good and most difficult of seasons. Just remarkable. Thank You, Lord! To God be the glory; great things He has done!

Showing 1 - 1 of 1 results