Obituary
Mary Alyce Paul passed away Wednesday December 11, 2019 from heart failure at Advent Hospital of Orlando. She was surrounded by her family and she left us with grace and dignity.
She leaves her husband of 68 years Alan Edward Paul, son Mark Alan Paul wife Lisa Paul, daughter Marcia Cooper husband Bob Cooper. Grandsons Joel Alan Paul wife Sydney Paul, and Jacob Edward Paul. Great Granddaughter Olive Elizabeth Paul.
Mary Alyce was born in Janesville Wisconsin March 16, 1930. Daughter of Bernard and Alice Pike. As with many youth during the World War II years, she worked while she attended school, both as a telephone operator and sales associate in local department stores. She was also a member of the National Honor Society. Upon graduation, she attended the local Presbyterian Church with her family and she worked as a Secretary in a bank.
She married Alan Paul on June 9, 1951, and they moved to California, an adventure as she had never left Wisconsin.
Mary Alyce gave up her Presbyterian roots and joined Alan in the Lutheran Church where she started her Women’s activities.
She was a stay at home mother in California with her two children Mark and Marcia. The family relocated to Arizona when Alan accepted a position with General Electric.
She was an active member in the Women of the Lutheran Church, holding many positions of leadership. This activity continued as the family was transferred to New York, Washington State, New York(again), Massachusetts, California and Maryland. Each transfer brought a new church, services and many new friends into her life.
In Maryland she became the first President of the Greater Washington, DC Synod with responsibility for numerous churches in several states. She was also the Daily Lunch founder and the Coordinator at Christ Lutheran Church in Bethesda, Md for Feeding the Homeless. This program was a first and still is in operation today. She was a part of a small group that developed a program to feed the homeless on Christmas Day, sharing Christian love with many less fortunate people. While living in Maryland they purchased a beach retreat in Ocean City, Maryland.
In 1992 Mary Alyce and Alan retired to Orlando, Florida and she was soon involved in the Lutheran Women’s activities at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Winter Park, Florida. As an Adopt a Family Program, she took homeless families off the street and into housing with living supplies, food and got the children into school.
In 1994, they purchased a second home in New Smyrna Beach. She became involved with the women at Trinity Lutheran and Church Women United where she continued to demonstrate care for women. She was very active accepting numerous leadership positions including the President of the New Smyrna Beach Church Women United.
In 1998 they moved to Ponce Inlet and they became members of the All Saints Lutheran Church in Port Orange. She continued her activities with Church Women United and Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church local and county wide.
In 2018 they moved to Orange City, into a Continuing Care Retirement Community. They became members of Emmaus Lutheran Church in Orange City, Fl.
Mary Alyce and Alan enjoyed traveling all over the world in their 68 years together. One of the fondest memories was celebrating their 50th anniversary in Christ Church, New Zealand.
During all these years, she has been a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and a “super” servant of the church with over 50 years service.
Services will be held Saturday December 21st 2019 at 11am at the Emmaus Lutheran Church Orange City, Florida.
In lieu of flowers please donate to the Lutheran World Relief.
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