Tribute to Paula

Here’s what well-dressed young Cabool ladies looked like in 1953. Paula Grisham Walls is sixth from left. 

Photo courtesy of

  
Patty Radar Parker  

Written by 
LeRoy Walls 
CEO 

One of the top students in a bright class, Paula played piano, violin, French horn, trombone and sang. She helped the music teacher as a piano accompanist for several years and as a sixth grader was invited to play trombone in the high school jazz band. Incidentally, I threw rocks pretty good and could spit real far.

Music doesn’t course through my veins or bring my soul to life as it does with Paula. She becomes one with it - tapping her foot, singing and dancing, especially with our grandchildren. Married to a man who on the dance floor looks like he belongs in the hay field, it is only Paula who comes to life at the sound of music.

We were married after Paula’s first year and my third year of college. After my graduation we moved to the St. Louis area where I worked in engineering and computer programming while Paula continued her college education. She was a music major in voice. Soon Paula’s education was put on hold as our three children - Lora, Sarah and Tom were born within four years.

After 12 years we moved back to Cabool. Paula had completed her education and training to become a registered nurse before our return. Paula, having also been educated in Cabool, realized that in Cabool the opportunities and pay would be better as a registered nurse than as an Italian Opera Singer. Paula’s work and pay as a RN allowed me to cut my St. Louis salary in half as Woodpro Cabinetry was started.

At Texas County Memorial Hospital she nursed in intensive care and the emergency room, handling a full range of challenges from removing a giant "booger" from an infant’s nose to bringing heart attack victims back to life. She was promoted to interim administrator and was instrumental in starting a Hospice and other key programs.

Paula is now living in a time of life that she thoroughly enjoys. She has always been especially close to our three children, and she now has more time for them and their children.

We have eight grandchildren who all truly love their Grandma Paula. Her Woodpro schedule is now flexible enough that she can cook, work in her flower gardens, be with grandkids and of course, accompany grandkids, daughters, nieces, choirs, funerals, weddings and the community as needed on the piano. Although she is an accomplished vocal soloist herself, Paula’s preference is to support others in the limelight.

Paula often cooks for our family of 16, an extended family of sometimes 40, Woodpro and Chamber of Commerce dinners of over 100 and other large charity dinners. Maybe one of these days Paula will have time to open the restaurant that the people of Cabool want her to open. She is so busy accompanying me and others on our needs and our dreams that she doesn’t always take time for her own dreams.

12/31/1999