Theresa L Pauls

Theresa L. Pauls was born on December 29, 1909 in Watkins, MN. She attended elementary school in Watkins and graduated from the Cold Spring High School in 1928. Her teaching career began at Rohrbeck and McIntee schools south of Watkins. After additional training at St. Cloud Teacher's College she taught at the Watkins Public School until 1936. She obtained a Minnesota Teaching Credential and taught at Littlefork and International Falls in northern Minnesota until 1941. When the US entered WWII, Theresa went to work at Hill Field, an Army Air Corps Base in Utah. Later, she taught in the Salt Lake City school system for ten years. In 1954, she moved to California to teach second grade at Belshaw Elementary, a new school in Antioch. She taught there for twenty years before retiring in 1975. After retiring, Theresa moved into The Heritage, the first senior apartment complex in Concord, CA. She was an active member of the tenants' board and served as board president. She volunteered as an arts and crafts teacher at the Concord Adult Activity Center and the Rainbow Learning Program. Additionally she visited the ill and brought communion to shut-ins as a member of Queen of All Saints Catholic Church. The Concord Chapter of Soroptimist International of the Americas honored her as one of their ""Women of Distinction"" for her volunteer activities and efforts. Theresa's leisure pursuits included extensive travel, including a voyage around the world on a freighter. She loved visiting the U.S. National Parks, especially Yosemite. She was an accomplished weaver, gardener, and knitter. She knitted articles for her many great-nieces and great-nephews and for their children too. She was an avid reader and life-long learner. In 2006, Theresa moved to Oskaloosa, Iowa to live with her goddaughter, Linda Nistler Siebens. She passed away peacefully on March 17, 2011 in Pella, Iowa. Theresa is survived by twelve nieces and nephews and many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Matt and Mary Pauls; her sisters Susie Weber, Louise Pauls, Mary Botz Hinz, and Clara Nistler; her brothers Pete, John, Matt, and Henry Pauls; and nine nieces and nephews. Memorials are preferred to the Yosemite Conservancy, 101 Montgomery St., Suite 1700, San Francisco, CA 94104, or donor's charity of choice. Funeral Home: Ertl Funeral Home 221 Church Street Watkins, MN US 55389Previous Events Visitation Saturday, May 21, 2011 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM St. Anthony Catholic Church 171 Central Ave Watkins, MN 55389 Service Saturday, May 21, 2011 10:30 AM St. Anthony Catholic Church 171 Central Ave Watkins, MN 55389 cemetery Saturday, May 21, 2011 11:15 AM St. Anthony Catholic Cemetery 170 Meeker Ave S Watkins, MN 55389