Shirley Grace Riva Paulk

Shirley Grace Riva Paulk, 72, passed at Emory University Hospice the morning of March 4, 2018.  Shirley was born March 27, 1945 in Canaan, Connecticut to Irma and Oresta Riva.  A memorial service will be held at Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church, Dacula, Georgia on Sunday, March 11, 2018, 1pm, with a reception following.  Her ashes will be interned on the bank of the May River at the Church of the Cross in Bluffton, South Carolina at a later date. Shirley’s larger-than-life personality influenced so many. She was loved and is survived by her husband, Lee Paulk Jr., her three daughters and two son in-laws: Tammy (David) Whitworth, Heather (John) Lynch and Christine Stone. Shirley enjoyed the blessing of her ten grandchildren: Brighton Lampert, Robin Lampert, Michael Sharp, Sarah Sharp, Joshua Tunney, Laura Ann Whitworth, Katherine Grace Whitworth, Winter Lynch, Genevieve Lynch and Seraphina “Scout” Lynch as well as two great-grand-children, Lee Lampert and Adeleigh Justice. Following graduation from Housatonic Valley Regional High School, Shirley completed the nursing program at Saint Francis School of Nursing in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1966.  She met Lee at Mohave Community College in Kingman, Arizona, where she completed her Bachelor of Science. Shirley spent a lifetime of caring, training and inspiring care receivers and professionals in the Senior Living community. She retired from the Arbor Company in Atlanta in May, 2016 but continued to share her expertise through consulting. Shirley served as a Stephens’ Minister at Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church, Dacula, Georgia and the Church of the Cross, Bluffton, South Carolina. Contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society for the treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia, which she fought valiantly for the past year. Hamilton Mill Memorial Chapel 770-945-6924 Share memories of Shirley at hamiltonmillchapel.com