Shirley Paulson

age 76, of Hoover, Alabama peacefully passed away on Thursday, April 7th, 2005 from complications related to recently diagnosed lung cancer. A loving wife and devoted mother of three, she was born Shirley Lou McDowell in Detroit, Michigan, attended Ohio Wesleyan University and created beautiful homes for her family in Detroit and Owosso, MI, Chicago, IL, Richmond, IN, Lexington, KY, Tuscaloosa, AL and twice in what is now known as Hoover where she moved with her family in 1969. A lover of novels, antiques, gardening, interior decorating and kitchen collectables, she enjoyed spending time and energy as a volunteer with Friends of the Library in Hoover and for years had volunteered and worked as a teacher's aid, training mentally handicapped children and adults to be independent and productive. Quick to laugh and slow to judge, she brightened the lives of family, friends and new acquaintances with a warm smile and kind words, always illustrating a selfless devotion to the happiness and welfare of others with undeserved humility and gracious humanity. Declaring late in life that she disliked cooking and was never very good at it, Shirley in fact, never disappointed an appetite and made the best spaghetti meat sauce a child or grandchild ever tasted. Despite such talents, her affection for dining out and the cinema was lovingly shared by her husband. The two, in retirement, seldom missed a worthwhile first run feature film together. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Richard V. "Dick" Paulson; daughters, Suzanne Paulson of Homewood, AL and Sally Hand of Hoover, AL; son, David Paulson of Baltimore, MD; son-in-law, Doyle Hand; daughter-in-law, Donna Hamilton Paulson; and three grandchildren, Alex Hand, Jesse Paulson and Cada Paulson. The family will receive friends at on Monday, April 11, 2005 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at Currie-Jefferson Funeral Home, Hwy 150, Hoover. Funeral services will follow at 1:00 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Jim Profetto officiating. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made in her name to the American Cancer Society of Alabama. Currie-Jefferson Funeral Home directing.