Paula Cole Croom

Paula Cole Croom

May 6th, 1946 – March 9th, 2026

Nothing lit up our mornings like the smell of Paula's biscuits and gravy drifting through the house.

Paula was born on May 6th, 1946, in Bakersfield, CA, and right from the start she carried a creative, intelligent, kind, and loyal spirit that never faded. Her life felt richest whenever she was looking after the people she loved.

She built that life beside her husband James, always choosing teamwork and tenderness. Together they raised their son Jimmy, welcomed their daughter-in-law Grace, and absolutely doted on their granddaughters Lindsey and Abegail.

Cooking was Paula's language of love, and our family calendar revolved around her Christmas breakfast and those famous Sunday spreads of bacon, sausage, ham, eggs, and mountains of biscuits and gravy. She served every plate with a quiet smile that said, "You matter to me."

Paula passed away on March 9th, 2026, at HCA Bayonet Point in Hudson, FL, with the same steadfast grace she showed all her days. We will keep setting extra places at the table, telling her stories, and feeling her warmth in every shared meal.

Hold her close in your thoughts today, and whenever you smell breakfast on the stove, remember how completely Paula loved us all.