Paula Shields
Paula Adele (Neuman) Shields, age 90, of Lynnwood Washington, went to her Heavenly home on March 31st, 2023. She loved her Savior Jesus, was strong in her faith and in her later years was homesick for Heaven, her eternal home.
Paula was born in California Feb 25, 1933, to Paul and Edith Neuman and had one sister, Patricia, who predeceased her. At a young age, her family moved to Seattle where they lived on Lake Washington. One of Paula’s favorite passtimes was swimming and water skiing with her friends on the lake. Paula attended University of Washington where she met and married Jack Shields in 1955 and together they had 3 children.
Paula joined Aglow International, a Christian organization whose mission is to lead women to Jesus Christ and provide an opportunity for Christian women to grow in their faith and to share this with others. Paula was instrumental in the early days of Aglow, helping to develop the ministry and keep it moving forward. She had a big heart for the nations of the world and in 1982 she moved from Seattle to go out as a missionary in Europe, Central Asia and China where she spent the next 28 years ministering to thousands of women and men in over 30 different countries including 10 years in Kazakhstan.
Her work lead her to write a book, ‘Healing of the Soul, God’s Restoration from Life’s Hurts’, which she used as tool to help others and also to raise them up to become leaders and teach and minister healing in the power of the Holy Spirit themselves. Her book has been published in over 20 languages.
Although Paula always said “There is no retiring in the Kingdom of God”, at age 76 she retired from the mission field and returned to Lynnwood, Washington to spend time with family and friends. In her later years, Paula learned to tap dance and would dance and sing, inspired by her favorite movie, Yankee Doodle Dandy.
Paula is survived by her 3 children, Sue, John and Rob, four grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Paula wished to be cremated. There will be a private ceremony with family to spread her ashes over the floating bridge on Lake Washington where she says some of her fondest life memories were made.
She will be missed by her family and friends, her mission field coworker for 27 years, Karin de Keijzer, and the many people who loved her in the nations.
The post first appeared on Barton Family Funeral Service.