Paula Lynn Forst

Paula Lynn Kick Forst, 77, lost her battle with Parkinsons and Lewy Body Dementia on May 13, 2026 at Clarendale Memory Care Unit in Chandler, Arizona. She was born in 1948 in Little Falls, Minnesota to Robert E. Kick and Viola M. Brastad Kick. In 1968 she followed the love of her life to Phoenix, Arizona where she married Herbert L. Forst on June 7, 1969. Together they had three children Jennifer, Melissa and Kristopher. Paula worked at Jennings and Thompson in the advertising department up until she had Jennifer. She then became a homemaker and had a very successful in-home seamstress business. She sewed everything from bathing suits to wedding dresses to Halloween costumes. In the early eighties she started working for Chandler Tax Service as a receptionist. A friend and coworker encouraged her to learn how to prepare taxes and do accounting. She attended Mesa Community College for some accounting and tax classes. Eventually, along with a partner, she opened Granada Tax. After a few years she decided she would go her own way, which then led to her opening Palm Tax and Accounting, Inc. in 1991. Her daughter Jennifer started working for her at the age of 15 at Granada Tax and when Paula opened her own firm Jennifer stayed with her and they worked side by side until they sold the business and retired in 2020. Paula was very creative and loved to paint up until Parkinsons took that away. She painted on glass, wood, Christmas ornaments, and canvas. She had a passion for the arts in general: all genres of music and dance. She loved to attend plays, dance performances and music concerts. Over the years she bowled and played softball with friends and family on many leagues and co-rec teams. She enjoyed watching her Minnesota Vikings. Paula also always had a love for plants and flowers. She cared for many plants at home. She often stated she would have loved to have owned her own flower shop. She was strong willed, resilient, carefree and silly. She always loved a good adventure. She was a selfless person constantly caring for others around her. Paula is survived by Herbert (her husband, ex-husband and boyfriend), Her three children; Jennifer Gillis (John), Melissa Fitzpatrick (Al), Kristopher Forst (Sarah), Her grandchildren; Madisyn (Brandon), Taryn, Avery, Lauryn and Knox, Her soon to be great grandchild; Molly, and her brother Gregory Kick (Pam) and sister Karla Kalis (Tom). Paula was preceded in death by her parents Robert E. Kick and Viola M. Brastad Kick. Paula will be cremated and laid to rest at Green Acres Mortuary and Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, P.O. Box 5014 Hagerstown, MD 21741 (give.michaeljfox.org)