Paula Marie Walz
Paula Marie Walz, formerly of Moses Lake, died surrounded by her family and loved ones in her Port Angeles home after a short but furious fight with lung cancer. She was 50 years old.
How does one sum up the life of their mommy? I just don't know. I feel that the following words won't do her justice or give her credit for the strong, beautiful, loving woman she was, but here goes.
She was born to Clarence and Bernice Adele (Massey) Walz on March 24, 1957, in Centerville, Wash.
Paula had two sons and one daughter. From the moment they arrived in the world her children were always number one in every aspect of her life.
While raising her children she worked as a bartender at night while she attended college during the day. She made the dean's list every quarter and obtained her degree in accounting, proving what her friends and family already knew. Paula was smart and destined to go places in life.
In 2005 she took a leave of absence from her job to take care of her late brother Virgil Hartley to aid in his fight with lung cancer. Paula never once thought of herself while taking care of Virgil. Who knew she was battling the same disease during this time? Certainly not herself or her family.
In my mom's typical fashion she thought of her children first and kept the news of her disease to herself during the Thanksgiving holidays. She wanted to wait until she had everyone together to break the news so she could comfort us and let us know she was going to beat this disease and it was going to be OK.
Mom fought hard and never once complained during her treatment, continuing to comfort us during her time of need, measuring up to the strength of her brother Virgil she wrote of just a few months ago.
Her children and family will miss her endlessly but we will go on with her courage, strength and love in our hearts forever.
We would like to thank Michael Maxwell, MD, and the staff at Family Medicine of Port Angeles for once again taking care of our family during another trying time. Your tender care means more than you can ever know. Robert Witham, MD, and his staff, Heath Foxlee, MD, and the staff at the Sequim Oncology Center, the pharmacy staff of Safeway on Lincoln street, and Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County.
She was preceded in death by her mother Bernice Adele (Massey) Walz, her brother Virgil Lee Hartley (just 10 months ago) and her nephew Jacob Hartley.
Survivors include longtime partner Dan Russell, sons and daughters-in-law Scott and Angela Houston of Port Angeles and Steven Russell Seimer and Arenia Brown of Sequim; daughter and son-in-law Cherri and Daniel Lindquist of Phoenix; her father Clarence Walz of Sequim; and brothers and sisters-in-law Roger and Cindy Walz of Port Angeles and Ronald and Margie Walz of West Richland.
Also surviving are four grandchildren and six step-grandchildren.
Services are April 4, 11 a.m. at Cashmere Cemetery on Evergreen Drive, Cashmere.
Memorials at Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County, P.O. Box 2014, Port Angeles, WA 98362