Paula Ann Goodro

Paula Ann Goodro, 76, passed away surrounded by family on Monday, December 22, 2025, in Sterling, Colorado.

Paula was born on November 28, 1949, to the late Ann and William Goodro of Denver, Colorado. She spent her childhood riding horses, water skiing, and racing cars down I-25 with friends. Paula lived her life not to impress others, but to free her spirit and go wherever the wind took her.

Her younger years were wild and full of adventure, stories she told with honesty, humor, and pride in the chaos she survived. Just as proudly, Paula celebrated her years clean and sober—an achievement that meant the world to her. She passed away just three weeks before her 34th sobriety anniversary.

Throughout her adult life, Paula worked and volunteered in various Victim Advocate programs, helping women and men find the confidence within themselves to make choices and reclaim their lives. She was a respite care provider for families with troubled children, could wait tables like no one’s business, and was never afraid of hard work. Later in life, Paula earned her bachelor’s degree in digital and website design, fearlessly stepping into the technological world as an older woman and proving that growth and reinvention have no age limit.

Paula was deeply passionate about the South Park Gift Drive, which she ran for many years in Fairplay, senior citizens’ rights and dignified treatment, victim advocacy, and—most of all—her grandchildren. She valued storytelling, sharing not only the good times but the hard ones too. Her life was full of experiences and journeys she never shied away from discussing.

Paula loved the mountains, and no matter how far she wandered, she always returned to them. She also loved jewelry, Southwestern style, her freedom, and her independence. She found her people in a beautifully mismatched hodgepodge of souls who supported her and walked alongside her through life.

Paula is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Stephanie and Jim, and their children Bailey, Lily, and Claira; her daughter Shannon and her children Megan and Gordie; her sister Leslee; and her brother Bill. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Lyle, and dear friends who shared life’s journey with her.

A celebration of life will be held in Fairplay, Colorado, and Sterling, Colorado, in the spring or summer of 2026. Dates will be announced closer to the time. Paula’s family looks forward to gathering with all whose lives she touched and whose hearts she left her mark on.

In lieu of flowers, Paula’s family asks that you be the change you wish to see: treat every person as you would want to be treated, and stand up for what is right—not what is easy. If you wish to honor her memory monetarily, donations may be made in her name to your local Victim Advocate program, Rocky Mountain Rural Health (PO Box 1600, Fairplay, CO 80440) for the South Park Gift Drive(in memo line), or your local senior coalition.

The family also invites everyone to help memorialize Paula by sharing stories and memories of her. These can be typed or handwritten and emailed or mailed to Destinysecho@yahoo.com or P.O. Box 405, Fairplay, CO 80440, or brought with you to one of the celebrations of life.