Paula Ruth McCleney

Paula Ruth McCleney passed away on March 8, 2026. She was a woman who loved deeply and lived with unmistakable joy, the kind of person others said God broke the mold after creating. Whether in a driveway, an Italian restaurant, a department store, or anywhere a good beat found her, Paula danced with abandon and brought smiles to those around her until the very end.

She was a devoted mother to her daughters, Amanda Bartlett and Kristi Love. As a single mother, she worked full time while finding extra ways to provide for them, ensuring they could participate in pageants and cheer and never missed out on the things that made them feel special. Christmas mornings always featured an overflowing tree, often followed by one last shopping trip for more. She carried that same generous, attentive love into grandmotherhood, cherishing Saxen Bartlett and Elizabeth Bartlett.

Paula built a meaningful career as a nurse, spending many years in hospice and home health care. She guided patients and families through their most tender final moments with compassion and humor, often joking that her patients refused to let any other nurse care for them because it was true. A proud Army veteran, she served her country during the Vietnam era as a communications specialist, maintaining vital links between the United States and Vietnam.

Deeply faithful, Paula was active in her church for many years, serving as a Sunday school teacher, outreach minister, and vocalist in the ensemble. She lived by Biblical principles and worked to make the world better for her daughters and everyone she touched. In her later years, even as dementia challenged her, she refused to let it dim her spirit. She continued dancing every Thursday, pulling others into moments of joy, finding wonder in a blue sky or a simple ice cream cone, and turning ordinary days into something delightful. Her zest for life remained a quiet rebellion that touched countless hearts.

She will be forever loved and deeply missed by her family and all whose lives she brightened.