Paulette Marie (Stiles) Wood

Paulette arrived on a bright August day in San Francisco on Tuesday the 21 in 1945. This is one week after the iconic picture of the sailor kissing the young women signifying the end of the war with Japan. Her father was in the service so was not present at the hospital for the arrival of his first child but God certainly was. Paullette was being difficult as she was turned the wrong way for the delivery, the church started praying and Paulette turned allowing the delivery to go perfectly. Paulette was proud of her Danish heritage and always wanted to make the trip to Scandinavia with us.

Her sister Marilyn arrived 4 years later and both have wonderful memories of growing up in San Francisco. They grew up in an apartment complex that was full of family and friends and the girls played all over their city! They could go to the zoo, Playland, beach riding their bikes wherever their imaginations took them. Paulette loved to do everything, dancing, sports including basketball, skating, if someone had a game going she wanted to be part of it. Every summer the family would spend a month camping at Clear Lake, CA with Dad commuting from his job in San Francisco, everyday fishing and swimming. Both sisters would accompany their dad on his hunting and fishing trips.

They enjoyed close ties to their extended families in their apartment complex and that of the church, Open Bible Church. Sundays and mid-week services were the norm. When Paulette 12 and her sister 9 attended a revival by Pastor Butch Plummer they were filled with the Holy Spirit and received the gift of speaking in tongues. About this time Paulette was out on her bike and was involved in a hit and run, knocking her off her bike resulting in a fracture to the skull. She was able to get home but all she could tell them was her bike was broken. She spent some time in the hospital with a head injury. Her sister reported that after the incident Paulette was not the free wheeling sister that she had known before the accident. Her mother had asked them to sit on the couch and wait for her to do an errand and Paulette sat for over an hour not moving at all. Her sister remembers this in awe.

Paulette graduated from high school in 1963 and decided to go on to Beauty school. She loved to travel and went to South America and Hawaii which was her favorite. Returning several times to our 50th state over her lifetime. She worked as a beautician in different care facilities allowing her to service her clients as well as sharing the Lord with them. She then transitioned to

Preschool teacher, serving at a Christian school for several years in CA. She met Gary Wood, her future husband at Church and was not taken with him at all. But one day as she was playing the piano and singing the Lord gave her a love for him and that love survived many ups and downs over her lifetime. She felt that it was her divine destiny to pray for him until he passed away. They had one daughter, Kristen, who was truly a blessing that they and we cherish as part of the family. 

Paulette moved to Oregon in 2001 and taught preschool for Shelley at St. Annes School. She moved into our little guest house and often said that was her favorite home! She always told me she was a one man woman, but when Taylor and Phil thought they needed chickens Robbie the Rooster decided that she was his new woman. He would sit on the railing of the

little house and wait for her to get up. Once he saw her he would crow and cluck and run up and down the railing so he could keep an eye on her whether she was in the kitchen or living room. In order for anyone to visit her you had to get by Robbie. We all found it hilarious and referred to him as her boyfriend, but she was not amused! When we would tease her she would say, “Oh that silly Rooster”.

Her parents had relocated to Grants Pass as well and at some point they needed assistance and Paullete moved in to provide that support. She was able to supply this care until both parents went on to meet the Lord. The next chapter of her life was to move in with Patricia and the 2 of them became known as Lucy and Ethel. They both loved music and would hunt out any venue where they could enjoy and participate. About 7 years ago they were looking for “old fashioned preaching” and I invited them to Hope Alive, where they settled in and became active members. If something was going on or needed to be done they were in attendance. If they saw a stranger they would ask them if they would like prayer and would seek God for them. We realized that Paulette was beginning her journey with Dementia but was able to suppress those symptoms and enjoy her life with Patricia. 

When the illness progressed she came to live with Kristen and our family. She had her routine that she would follow religiously. TBN every morning, morning snack of zebra cakes, more TBN. A walk “weather permitting” and lunch. But no TBN in the afternoon as she did not enjoy “those yelling preachers”. She made it her mission to get Warren out for a walk, conjoling him until he got up and accompanied her. She enjoyed the Gaithers and we introduced her to the game show of Generation Gap. I believed she enjoyed it so much for the relationship between grandkids and their grandparents. She would often tell me how lucky we were to have such wonderful grandkids and now great grandkids.

Paulette spent a lifetime of serving God through prayer and praise and counted her blessings of friends and family. And now she is with family that have gone before her and I'm sure asking when does the concert begins.