Paula Frances West was born on February 1, 1933, and died December 31, 2023, after a battle with dementia, living near her nephews in Del Rio, Texas, in Southwest Assisted Living.

Her parents, Paul and Frances West raised her and her brother, Sam, in San Antonio, Texas. She graduated in 1950 from Alamo Heights High School and then attended Incarnate Word College, graduating in 1954 with a B.S. in Nursing. In 1957, she was sent to Mexico by the Mission Board of the Presbyterian Church. For twelve years, she worked in Sanatorio La Amistad in Ometepec, Guerrero. While there, it was realized she needed to study and train in anesthetics, so she returned to Texas to get certified, and then spent her many years as a missionary nurse.

In 1969, she returned to San Antonio to work at the Bexar County Hospital and gave anesthesia there until 1974. During that period, she went to Peru, when in 1971, a devastating earthquake occurred and she decided to travel there to help with the Church World Service.

In 1974, she moved to a small, country hospital in Vinita, Oklahoma, where she spent a wonderful life making great friends who became family. She enjoyed small-town life learning to play golf during her time off.

When she decided to retire in 1996, she chose to go to Rancho Viejo, Texas, as far south as she could, to play year-round golf. There she remained active in the Presbyterian church and its food bank in Brownsville, Texas.

Paula is pre-deceased by her parents and her only beloved brother and best friend, Samuel Evans West and his wife, Joyce, a nephew, Samuel Evans West Jr.,  and a nephew-in-law, Gary McElmurry. She is survived by nephews, Ira West (Becky) and Max West(Natalie), both from Del Rio, Texas, and her niece, Helen "Sissy" West McElmurry, from Boerne, Texas. She is also survived by her great-nieces, Sarah West Sigmon, and Sloan  Schoenewolf, Del Rio, Texas, and her great-nephews, JT Rose, and West Rose, Boerne, Texas. She also was survived by great-great nephews Hudson and Sidney Sigmon and Hayden Rose, and great-great niece, Addison Rose.

Aunt Paula always commented that she was blessed as a good sleeper with never a restless night. Our lessons from her are to live with a good conscience, to serve others, and to always keep learning so that we can be our best selves. Paula donated her body to science because she wanted to help others, even in death. Sleep well, Paula, and rest in peace.