Paula Jean DiPiazza

Paula was born on April 12, 1936 (Easter Sunday), in Austin, Minnesota to Paul and Helen Hull. She grew up in Austin with her siblings Rosemary and Dwane, and was surrounded by her grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins living nearby.

From an early age, Paula had an adventurous and independent spirit. It’s possible it was spurred by her Polio diagnosis that kept her bound up in knee high boots and braces until she was cleared to run freely.

Paula was musically gifted, starting with the piano and moving on to playing the oboe, which she proudly wanted everyone to know, tunes the orchestra. She was in marching bands and sang in choirs. Paula was a self-taught three tiered organ player. Not many people can claim they had a piano AND an organ in their homes. Paula was awarded a music scholarship but turned it down to study Dental Hygiene at the University of Minnesota.

Once she graduated, Paula moved to Chicago for her first professional job. She met and married Jack Morrison and then moved to work in the Los Angeles area where they had their children Joshua (preceded in death), Jennifer, Rachel and Aaron (preceded in death). They divorced, and Paula soon met and married Wesley Bowman and together they had a daughter, Shontell. Sadly, tragedy struck and Wesley passed away.

To find comfort Paula moved to Arizona with her five children to be near her sister and brother-in-law. Once settled, she found work in the Casa Grande area.

Paula built a life centered around her faith, work and desire to serve others. As the Singles Ministry Leader for her church, Paula attended a training retreat in Glorieta, New Mexico where she met Frank DiPiazza. Paula moved to Phoenix where they could be together and soon married. After a few years, they made the move back to Casa Grande.

Paula was always very creative starting with sewing as a young woman. She became a master seamstress making clothes for her nieces’ Barbie dolls in the early 60’s when Barbie was first introduced and changing her outfit was not what you did. This isn’t where her creative passion ended though. Paula knitted, crocheted, worked with needlepoint, macramé, ceramics, paint and then fell in love with quilting. You knew you were loved if you received a quilt handmade by Paula.

When Paula retired from Dental Hygiene after working 50 plus years in the field, she became a volunteer Hygienist. She started with Mercy Ships, and then found Jewish Voice where she could work AND serve others in need. She took several medical outreach trips to minister to those in Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and beyond.

Paula’s greatest legacy was her 5 children, 13 Grandchildren, 11 Great Grandchildren and 1 Great-Great Grandchild along with extended family, and many friends who will miss her deeply.

A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 19, 2026, at West Resthaven Funeral Home, 6450 West Northern Avenue, Glendale, Arizona. Following the service, Paula will be laid to rest at Resthaven Park Cemetery also in Glendale.