Paula Marie Ellis

Paula Ellis was born to her parents, Georgia and Mel Ellis on February 12, 1965, in Detroit at St. John's Hospital. She proudly wore the titles daughter, sister, godmother, aunt, but also biker chick, cat mumma, medical technician, MBA, Anti-Paula, and Partner in Mischief. However, perhaps her proudest title was "Peela", given to her by her niece, Ashley, a name that has stuck.

She is survived by her brother Albert, her sister Angela, her partner Nick, her niece Ashley, nephews Nate and Josh, aunt Toula, cousin Nicole, great niece Angelina, cats Molly and SweetPea, and large numbers of dear friends.

Paula was struck with a severe auto-immune disorder in her early teenage years, but did not use it as an excuse to avoid doing things. Rather, she lived life at full speed to the best of her abilities.

Paula attended Sterling Heights high school, where she was a great student, loved by friends and teachers. She played clarinet in symphonic and marching band, and was in the National Honor Society, She was strong in math and sciences, but her favorite teacher was Mrs. Pitt, an English teacher. She graduated Summa Cum Laude.

Paula went on to get her Medical Technology degree from Wayne State University, and then went back to get her MBA a few years later, which she completed in spite of breaking her back while pursuing the degree.

Her career took her to the Detroit Medical Center in downtown Detroit, St. Johns in Detroit, Crittenton Hospital in Rochester, Ascension, and Labcorp, where she made and maintained friends, as she did through her school years. She also moved from being a Med Tech to being a computer analyst, but continued to use her knowledge of lab procedures in her computer support work.

Paula's passions included beads, knitting, crocheting, sewing, making blankets, cooking, hosting and assisting with gatherings, attending craft fairs, napping in the car while Nick chases lake freighters, shopping, reading, music, running around in open air vehicles, and spoiling her cats.

She was very supportive of her friends' activities in any way she could be, including letting her house be used for a film and letting Nick fill it with great quantities of LED lights (which she claimed to enjoy).

While Paula and Nick met each other in 2004, it turned out their lives had some interesting parallels. In comparing life stories, they realized they had been in the same place in the same time a few times. First was probably in 1972, Paula was taken by an uncle and Nick by his parents to see the then-new 1000 foot lake freighter, the Stewart J. Cort go by Pine Grove Park in Port Huron, Michigan for one of the very few times it went along that route. They later saw it again while traveling through Michigan's U.P.

Quite a few years later in the 1990s, Paula and Nick ended up at the same concert, a double bill of Chicago (whom Paula was there to see) and The Moody Blues (whom Nick was there to see). Paula blames Nick for not finding her and introducing himself at that point.

A few years into their relationship, Nick purchased a motorcycle. To his surprise, it turned out Paula had always been interested in motorcycling. This did require an upgrade of bikes to one that Paula could ride comfortably on, but she loved to go on motorcycle rides, and did tour through Michigan's UP a couple times on the back of the bike, plus a lot of day-trips around Michigan's Thumb. She was active enough in the Motor City Beemers motorcycle club she was made an officer.

When Paula was car shopping and in the position to do so, she satisfied a life-long desire to own a Mustang, and with a tiny amount of persuasion from Nick, got a convertible of her own.

Paula had always loved cats, but avoided getting one because of Nick's allergies. In 2018, Nick brought over an injured and hungry cat he found under his house, with the intent on nursing it back to health and getting it a proper home. Paula skeptically permitted this temporary arrangement for about ten seconds, until she saw Molly and exclaimed, "SHE'S SO BEAUTIFUL!" and adopted Molly. Later Molly was joined by SweetPea.

Paula got to meet her grand niece, Angelina, who may be the only newborn she had ever held.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, January 7 and Wednesday, January 8 2025 from 2:00pm-8:00pm at A. H. Peters Funeral Home, 32000 Schoenherr Rd, Warren, Michigan 48088.

Burial will occur Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 12:00 PM at Cadillac Memorial Gardens East, 38425 Garfield Rd, Clinton Twp, MI 48038.

For those who wish to make a contribution in Paula's honor, donations may be directed to the charity of one's choosing.