Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Parker Paul was born May 5, 1928 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. She was the middle child of Thomas Jefferson Parker and Bertha Davis Parker. She was raised in a loving home that included her parents; a strong grandmother; and four siblings, Bertha Lee Bryant, John Thomas Parker, Minnie Grace Rutland, and Percy Bland Parker.

She came to know Jesus Christ at State Street Baptist Church where the entire Parker family was active. She graduated from State Street High School in 1946 at the top of her class. She went on to Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee where she earned her degree in Nursing in 1949. It was also in Nashville where she met and married her husband, Rupert L. Paul, Sr., who was enrolled in seminary at American Baptist College.

Mary had a rich nursing career and also served in the churches where her husband pastored. She had a passion for working with youth in Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. Her nursing career led her to staff nursing placements, innovative team projects, and administrative opportunities in various hospitals and health facilities in Nashville, TN; Chicago, IL; Lackawanna, NY; Rutherford, NJ; East Chicago, IN; Gary, IN; Sarasota, FL; and Tampa, FL. Her crowning achievement was the nursing and administrative work she did alongside her husband and son to organize a state-licensed adult living facility for mentally and emotionally challenged men.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her siblings, and her daughter, Jacquelynne Louise Paul. She leaves to cherish her memory her children,Brenda G. Stafford (Albert Stafford), Cheryl Ann Paul, Marilyn P. Mindingall (Kenneth R. Mindingall), Rupert Paul Jr.; grandchildren, Kamara Cooper (Derek), Adrienne Garrett, Jacquelynn Nesbitt ( Harold), Christian Williams (Marco) and Thomas Maxwell Paul; great grandchildren, Aeriel Nesbitt, Taylor Nesbitt, Brooke Nesbitt, Jaden Nesbitt, Duke Williams, and Alianix Paul. She also leaves behind a host of nices, nephews, extended family members, and friends.

Mary will be remembered as a loving, supportive, honest, intelligent, strong woman. She was stylish and loved all things purple.

If technical issues occur please use the links provided below.

https://vimeo.com/event/991711

https://vimeo.com/event/991720

Celebration of Life

Saturday, May 22, 2021
12:00 PM