March 2, 2012

Funeral for Constance “Connie” Viola Hare Paul, 96, will be Mon., March 5, at 2 p.m. at Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Hartselle with Peck Funeral Home directing.

Burial was in Hartselle Memory Gardens.

Mrs. Paul died Fri., March 2, 2012, at her residence. She was born March 21, 1915, in Holyoke, Mass., to Sarah and Ernest Hare. She graduated from Holyoke High School in 1934 and married her husband, the late Theodore Ernest Paul, the same year.

They settled in Hartselle in 1968 after he was transferred to Worthington/Climatrol in Decatur. She wrote a column, “Connie’s Corner” for the Hartselle Enquirer for several years and played an active role in senior circles, volunteer centers and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Decatur.

After cancer claimed the life of her husband in 1976, she remained active with grandchildren, travel, senior center activities and church committees. Even as various injuries and ailments of aging slowed her pace, she continued sending Bibles and Christian literature overseas, collecting stamps for Stamp Camp and preparing ‘care’ packages for disaster victims. She also was a charter member of Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. She continued a card ministry to members and guests up until four weeks before she became disoriented after a series of falls. She will be remembered and missed by many people.

Mrs. Paul is survived by two sons, Ernest Theodore Paul and Peter Paul; two daughters, Joyanna McElfresh and Donna Bessken; eight grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; a niece; a nephew; and numerous stepgrandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her memory to: American Diabetes Association, American Cancer Society, Christian Appalachian Fund or Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. Memorial websites have been placed at liveincaregiver.us and peckfuneralhome.com.