In Memory
Paula Girard
Oct. 19, 1929 - Nov. 28, 2008
GIRARD, PAULA TANNER, was born October 19, 1929 in South Bend, IN, to dentist, Dr. Paul Mitchell Tanner and teacher/homemaker, Gladys May (Porter) Tanner.
Paula graduated with honors in 1947 from James Adams High School in South Bend. In 1949, Paula graduated from Principia College in Elsah, IL, with an Associates of Arts degree. Her favorite classes were biology with Dr. John Wanamaker and studio art with Professor James Green. She transferred to The Academy of Fine Arts in Chicago for additional studio art training.
Taking a break from her academic studies, she was hired as a stewardess with American Airlines. Based in New York, she flew the route between Chicago and New York, where she met her husband of 57 years, Jerry Girard, who was working as an accountant with American Airlines. After the marriage ceremony in South Bend on June 23, 1951, Paula and Jerry drove to Florida towing a 12-foot travel trailer. They were still living in the trailer in Jacksonville when their first son, G. Tanner, was born in May 1952. They soon moved to a new home before the births of son, Michael, in 1954 and daughter, Marva, in 1956. In 1957, Paula and family moved to Central Florida, and eventually the Maitland neighborhood on Lake Seminary where Paula lived since 1958.
During the next 50 years, Paula nurtured her family while actively pursuing her interests in studio art, education, writing, genealogy, nature, and travel. In the late 1950's and early 1960's, Paula took painting classes from Altamonte Springs artist, Robert Anderson and Winter Park artist, Edward Poucher. Paula was a prolific painter with showings and juried awards in numerous Central Florida art shows. She was active in local art associations and was a member of the group of local artists who started the Winter Park Arts Festival. Paula also combined her love of art and nature by serving as co-editor/writer/illustrator for The Young Naturalists Afield in Florida supplement to Florida Audubon Magazine from 1963 to 1967. Her first book, The Brave Little Plant was first published in 1968 by the Macmillan Company for their primary reading program. Eventually available in both paper and audio editions, the book has been translated into several languages and sold worldwide.
Paula also contributed feature articles in The Christian Science Monitor and The Orlando Sentinel. While raising her family, Paula earned a BGS degree in Elementary Education from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, and a Master of Education degree from the University of Central Florida. She was proud to work as an art teacher in several Seminole County schools for 10 years and share her love of art with young students. After raising her family, Paula's professional "Second Act" resulted in the publication of more than 10 novels and anthology stories in the Zebra Regency Romance series after her 65th birthday. Her first novel, Lord Wakeford's Gold Watch, was published in 1995 and set in London during the English Regency. The novels and stories that followed included: Charade of Hearts (1996), "A Matter of Honor" in the anthology, Lords and Ladies (1996), A Father for Christmas (1996), "Cupid's Legacy" in the anthology Valentine's Bouquet (1997), A Husband for Christmas (1997), The Sister Season (1998), "Lady Amelia's Christmas Party" in the anthology Underneath the Mistletoe (1998), The Reluctant Groom (1999), The Seventh Sister (2000), and the anthology, An English Christmas (2001). Paula's stories were known for their clever wit and sparkling humor. Paula also traveled extensively in England, which helped endow her stories with a flavor of authenticity. Paula was a member of the Romance Writers of America, the Central Florida Romance Writers, Volusia County Romance Writers, and the Virginia Romance Writers. Her website can be viewed at www.paulatannergirard.com.
Paula attributed her love of travel to the wanderlust that led her ancestors to the American shores over 300 years ago. Ever restless to see the other side of the mountain, Paula banded sooty terns in the Dry Tortugas, backpacked and canoed through the deep Florida Everglades with Outward Bound, rode camels in the Australian Outback, fished for piranha on the Amazon River, and climbed to the top of Machu Picchu in Peru. She has watched jewel-like hummingbirds in the rainforests of Central America, encountered bears and rattlesnakes in the Rocky Mountains, discovered ancient pictoglyphs in the caves of Baja California, and descended into a volcano on the Island of Hawaii. Paula once stayed in a castle in Ireland, explored caves in England, looked for King Arthur in Wales, and searched for the Loch Ness monster in Scotland. She almost got lost in a medina in Morocco, heard romantic stories in a harem in Moorish Spain, and was serenaded in a gondola in Venice.
Paula was preceded in death by her parents, and her brother, Dr. Thomas Tanner of South Bend, Indiana. She is survived by her husband, Jerry, sister, Marva Tanner of Belvidere, Illinois, sons G. Tanner (Suellen) of Morrison, Illinois, and Michael (Sara Ware) of Los Angeles, CA, daughter Marva of Maitland, FL, granddaughters Anne and Jaya, grandson Justin, and great-granddaughter Evelyn.
There will be a private family service, but no public service at Paula's request. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Central Florida, 2727 Conroy Road, Orlando, FL 32839 (www.ohs-spca.org). Messages to the family can be sent to Paula's email at PaulaJTG@aol.com. Please view and sign the family guestbook at www.baldwinfairchild.com
Published in the Orlando Sentinel on Nov. 30, 2008.
06/17/2021 DEC
|