Paula Giovanna Zaiss

Paula Giovanna Zaiss, 77, passed away peacefully on February 12, 2025, at home in North Kansas City, Missouri. Paula was born on February 5, 1948, in Brooklyn, New York, to Alfonso Gerard Sola and Giovanna De Marco, both Italian immigrants from Campania province.

Paula is, and always remained, a New Yorker: growing up in Brooklyn attending Roman Catholic Schools, graduating as a member of the very first class of Bishop Kearney High School in 1966. Paula imbued herself in New York cultural activities, enjoying time at Prospect Park with her dad, attending Broadway plays with Grandfather De Marco, and visiting art museums with Grandmother Sola. She also approved of popular culture, being in the very front row, behind the tarmac fence, screaming her heart out, when the Beatles arrived at LaGuardia Airport for their first trip to America in 1965.

She served as protector and advocate for her two younger brothers, Gerard and Robert, while growing up. She pursued higher education, attending Brooklyn College and Fairleigh-Dickinson University.

During Paula's late teen years, she was being cultivated to becoming America's next popular singer--a demo recording was done with Billy Joel's band as background (before he became famous). Paula even auditioned to be backup for Neil Diamond. Ultimately, Paula chose to pursue other paths.

Paula's first job was serving as a ticket agent for Delta Airlines, before becoming a military spouse, marrying Private Robert Babicke in 1968, living at West Point, NY, the Republic of Germany (where she met her lifelong friends, Glenda and Bob Shally), Fort Ord, CA, and Fort Benning, GA. In Columbus, GA, Paula began an impressive career in retail operations, becoming Gayfer's youngest senior buyer, then merchandise manager at Kiralfy's Fine Clothing Stores until 1983. She started and produced Columbus's "Best Dressed" Competition for several years, being selected (over her objections) of being the winner in 1982. In June 1969, and May, 1971, Paula realized her two greatest achievements: her daughter, Barbra, and her son, Bobby.

In 1982, Paula met her second military spouse, Patrick Zaiss, and married to the US Army again on February 18, 1983. With Patrick, she lived in Pacific Grove, CA, the Republic of Panama, returning to Columbus, GA, then culminating in a permanent move to Kansas City, MO in 1990. While in Columbus, Paula excelled in merchandising in accessories, jewelry, and lingerie. In Kansas City, she was quickly recruited to manage Finlay's Fine Jewelry in the Jones Store in Overland Park, KS, before being promoted to merchandise manager for all Finlay outlets in the Kansas City metro area. After Macy's bought out the Jones Stores in 2000, Paula decided to change her career focus: Lynn Peavey Company (police supply), LabCorp (testing), Omo's Day Spa, Roca Salon, Catholic Foundation for Children and Aging (support for families in foreign countries), Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, and lastly, League of Women Voters.

Besides civic duty and politics, Paula's other great passion is animals: she especially loved the children that lived with her in the latter part of life: Beulah, Peggy, Freckles, Midnight, Bertha, Koosie, Phoebe, Spencer, Katie, Harry, Cooper, Angie--she is survived by Jenni. She even befriended a friendly toad one summer and gained the trust of a hungry chipmunk another summer. Horses really liked her.

Paula is preceded in death by her parents and her best friend ever, Glenda Shally. She is survived by her husband, Patrick Zaiss; her stepmother, Antonietta Sola, Spokane, WA; her children Barbra Jupina, Milwaukee, WI and Robert Babicke, with wife Dayna, Kansas City, MO; her grandchildren Christopher Kimball, Huntsville, AL, Alexandra Blacklidge, Birmingham, AL, Kyle Brody, with husband James, Deltona, FL, Zachary James, Milwaukee, WI, and Aiden Babicke, Kansas City, MO; her siblings Gerard Sola, with wife Lee, Agua Dulce, CA and Robert Sola, with wife Suzie, Liberty Lake, WA.

Both I (her husband) and her children, admire the amazing life our dear Paula lived: she never accepted the tremendous impact and value she offered, believing she was always falling short--when, truly, she gave without fail, and gave out of profound love and care. We are so proud of the principled life she led.

She continues to be our protector and advocate--and the memories of experiences, advice, encouragements, and love echo irrevocably in our aching hearts. To say you will be sorely missed only meekly describes how our future lives will be.

We will see you soon.

A visitation for Paula will be held Friday, May 16, 2025, at 5:30 PM, with a Celebration Of Life starting at 6:00 PM at White Chapel Funeral Home, 6600 NE Antioch Road, Gladstone, Missouri, 64119.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Kansas City chapter of the League of Women Voters. Citizen participation in the voting process was an area of important passion for Paula, and her accomplishments, especially with the League in 2016-2017, reflected that.