Mabel Vivian Paff passed away on March 2, 2014, at the age of 100. She was born on May 24,1913 on a homestead farm in Tolley, North Dakota to Margaret and William McCulloch, who emigrated from Ontario, Canada. She was the youngest of nine children born on the farm.
She told endlessly interesting stories about growing up in North Dakota, tales about the “school bus”, a horse-drawn stagecoach used in the warm weather, and the horse-drawn sled schoolbus used in the winter to travel to the one-room schoolhouse. She loved being a kid on the farm: as a young girl, she rode a very large horse named Charlie and dressed up her kittens with doll clothes.
After graduating as the high school valedictorian, Mabel also graduated first in her class at Trinity Hospital Nursing School in Minot, North Dakota. She worked for two years as a registered nurse in Montana and then returned to Minot and married the love of her life, Davis Morrill Paff. They were incredibly close and throughout her life she spoke of Davis as the perfect husband.
Mabel and Davis were blessed with twins Janice and Billy, born in North Dakota in 1941. Soon after, the Paffs moved to Rochester, NY, where Davis worked in the Defense Industry during World War II and Mabel continued nursing. After the war, Davis, Mabel and the kids moved to Point Loma in San Diego where Davis worked in the Aerospace Industry and Mabel continued her nursing career while caring for two active, growing children. Her nursing career spanned nearly a half century. In retirement the Paffs became dedicated volunteers delivering Meals on Wheels and volunteering at Project Concern and for The Church of Religious Science. Mabel volunteered for Hospice, the Ocean Beach Birth Control Center and the United Nursing Center in Ocean Beach.
Mabel and Davis lost Janice to cancer in 1988 and Mabel lost Davis to cancer in 1990. They had become practitioners of The Church of Religious Science; their faith was a keystone of their life together and a resource that served her well after Janice and Davis passed.
Mabel loved being independent and she had a special gift of attracting friends and relatives throughout her life. She adored and perfected the art of conversation, always ready to listen or discuss the day’s news or cultural events. Her door was always open to those in need and she nursed many relatives and friends whenever they asked for help.
Mabel celebrated her 100th birthday in 2013 with many friends and relatives in attendance. She was thrilled to have reached that milestone. A long and well lived life.
Mabel is survived by her loving son Billy and his partner, Denise Jones, her son-in-law Frank Santoro and his wife Patricia, her daughter-in-law Alston Paff. She had four beloved grandchildren and their spouses: Michelle Marie Santoro Cavassa and her husband Mark, Carrie Lynda Paff and her husband Jeremy Sabol, Patrick Davis Santoro and his wife Shelly, and Stephanie Margaret Paff-Roma and her husband Marc, seven wonderful great-grandchildren: Gabrielle Adele, Connor Davis and Samuel Francis Cavassa, Alexandra Janice and Jackson Pasquale Santoro, and Zaira Vivian and Elliot Valero Paff-Roma. She is also survived by much loved local nieces and nephew Laura and Karen Schaefer and Mark Hopper and his wife Helene and many other beloved relatives in the McCulloch, Hopper, and Clausen families living throughout the country. She was a truly remarkable woman. Her family and friends will hold her in their hearts and always remember the twinkle in her eye.
A private memorial service is being planned for family and close friends.
Donations in Mabel’s memory can be made to the Janice A. Paff Memorial Scholarship Fund , University of Rhode Island Providence Campus, 80 Washington St, Room 206, Providence, RI 02903.
You may visit Mabel’s life story and leave comments for the family at www.humphreymortuary.com.
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