Paula Morrison Sullivan

At this time of

Thanksgiving

and her birthday...

THANK YOU, LORD, for Paula's life!

You gave us this very special gift December 6, 1968, in Lafayette, Louisiana, and she returned to you four months ago, July 24, 2011, from her home in Deer Park, having suffered a seizure of undetermined origin. She left here to grieve her loss her devoted husband, Mark; her loving daughters, Morgan and Adrianne; her parents, Bryan and Margaret Morrison; sister and family, Danna and Jamie Shaw, Blair and Darby; and mother-in-law, Jene Sullivan, all of Deer Park and Pasadena. Paula is also deeply missed by other family members here in the Houston area and scattered from coast to coast, as well as a host of friends and loved ones, literally worldwide, whose lives are forever changed because of the Jesus who lived big in her.

Over the months, the facets of Paula's character most consistently remembered and mentioned have been her infectious smile and laugh--and her selfless devotion to helping other people. She chose to enjoy life herself and worked tirelessly to make others' lives more enjoyable as well. Drawing on her God-given motivations to serve, give, administer, and most of all, to be a good steward, Paula organized and facilitated literally hundreds of events in her forty-two years, starting at eleven years old with a surprise anniversary reception for her parents with nearly a hundred guests! Of course, she had help on that occasion as she did on most others, but it was her gift to organize the help so that no one was OVER-worked, except perhaps herself. From 'head' room-mom (for several grades throughout the years), to offices in the PTO and the DPVFD Ladies Auxiliary, to co-organizer of National Night Out in her neighborhood; from Church Hospitality Chairman to Director of Pioneer Clubs, to Founder-Director of Royal Creations Children's Ministry, she devoted her life to serving others. Planning and serving breakfasts, lunches, suppers at her church was just part of a regular week...and her menus are legendary. Paula Deen and Rachel Ray were always recorded on the Sullivans' TV! Even when Paula became a BeautiControl consultant, events for others ruled. This time it was 'Spa Parties'...for Teacher Appreciation on in-service days, for the ladies of her church, for the ladies at Cenikor, always sharing the love of her Lord.

But where Paula was 'in her element' was in the preparation for the events...in the kitchen and at the grocery store! From a tender age, Paula could 'throw together a meal' better than most women who'd been cooking for years. Only recently, however, had she really honed her skills as a shopper. All you employees at the grocery stores of Deer Park, western LaPorte, and eastern Pasadena, we in the family are praying for you; we know you miss her watching for items ready for markdown (then helping you mark them!), and arriving later at the checkout to ring up minuscule totals for bulging baskets of groceries! We also pray for you citizens of the area on limited income, who no longer benefit from the overflow of her bargain groceries and supplies.

There were so many other facets of Paula's life: the softball mom; the golf mom; the fireman's wife; the homemaker, welcoming her mother-in-law into the home in recent months; the singer on the worship team; the camper; the 'encyclopedia' who ALWAYS remembered that forgotten name, date, attire, circumstance, no matter how long ago; the 'carpenter's helper', building furniture with her husband; the consummate appointment clerk and insurance clerk for doctors in Deer Park and Pasadena, always building lasting relationships with co-workers, patients and their families. To how many was she Christian friend and confidante?

Yes, Lord, THANK YOU for Paula! We so look forward to seeing her again, because we have that blessed assurance of eternal life in Christ, so...

Until then, our hearts will go on singing,

Until then, with joy we'll carry on,

Until the day our eyes behold that city,

Until the day God calls us home.

(Memorial gifts may be made to the benevolence fund at your own church, at Church of the Living Water, 4325 W. Pasadena Boulevard, Deer Park, Texas 77536, or at Sozo Church, 4109 Fairmont, Pasadena, Texas 77505.)