Paula Rae (Irwin Duggan) Rhodes, age 84, of Yukon, OK passed away peacefully on Friday, December 6, 2024, surrounded by her family.
Following a stroke on May 31, 2024, she was lovingly cared for at The Mansion at the Waterford in Oklahoma City.
Paula was born December 31, 1939, in Kansas City, Missouri to Ray Bennett Irwin and Harriett Irene (Schwartz) Irwin.
She married John Daniel (Danny) Duggan on February 7, 1959, and within a few years moved to Tampa, KS where Danny farmed with his dad, Frank Duggan. They had five children: Eileen, Elaine, Jim, Christine and John. The family moved to Durham, KS in 1969.
In May 1980 Paula married Dean Rhodes in Miami, OK, and they celebrated 16 years of marriage before his death in January 1997.
From a young age Paula loved sewing and was an accomplished seamstress. She sewed beautiful clothes for herself, her children and family and eventually for customers too numerous to count over the years. In addition to sewing she knitted, crocheted and made beautiful needlepoint pictures. Her hands were incredibly talented in whatever project she undertook. Her sewing and alterations business flourished in Cordell and continued when she moved to Yukon in 2019.
Paula always had the most beautiful flowers in her yard and plants in her home. Paula loved being outdoors and could tell you what species of bird was singing or even flying by. Many birds (and squirrels) saw her yard as an oasis and were happy to eat well and splash in her many birdbaths or her massive fountain.
Since her move to Yukon she hadn’t found a church home, but she loved the Lord and lived a life of service to her family and friends.
Paula was preceded in death by her parents, Harriett and Ray Irwin, and her husband, Dean Rhodes.
She is survived by Daughters Eileen (Eddie) Killmer of Yukon, OK, Elaine (Bruce) Carlson of Palm Coast, FL, Christine Duggan of Canton, KS; Sons Jim (Doni) Duggan of Cordell, OK and John (Deborah) Duggan of Chickasha, OK; Granddaughters April (Ben) Baxter of Granbury, TX, Amber (Trevor) Earls of Yukon, OK, Kimberly (Chris) Niedfeldt of Wamego, KS; Grandsons JC Duggan, Guthrie, OK, Tom Soukup of Palm Coast, FL, Kevin (Jessica) Blackwell of Newton, KS and Great-grandchildren Solomon and Gabriel Baxter, Piper and Hudson Earls, Evan and Gwyn Soukup, Trista and Gavin Blackwell, Jordan, Shelby and Payton Wherry; Sisters Lou (Pete) Duran, Cordell, OK and Jean Henke of Arizona; many nieces and nephews and Cousin Clifton (Marcia) of Kansas City, MO.
Services were held at First Baptist Church in Durham, KS on December 12 with interment following at College Hill Cemetery. A Celebration of her life will be held at her home in Yukon, OK after the holidays.
