Paula was born on September 19, 1935 in Bridgeport, Texas to Vaudean and Paul Gilliland. She was the second oldest of six children and grew up on a farm outside of Paradise, Texas. Many tales have been told of those six siblings running wild on the farm. She graduated from Paradise High School in 1953.
Paula married Glenn “Hub” Hubbard in 1954; they had a daughter and three sons. Paula was always very involved in the community, her children and volunteering. She was a room mom, PTO president, garden club member and one year was the President of the Little League Women’s Auxiliary for the local little league. That summer was quite a busy one for her! She had four kids on four different ball teams, with Hub being the head coach for one of the teams. Not to mention, as the auxiliary president, she was responsible to see that the concession stands at all the ballparks were manned with volunteers. In a most organized Paula way, she had a little notebook where she had written down all the games to be played. (So you know, baseball and softball games were played several times a week during the early summer.) Despite all her auxiliary duties, she devised a schedule to make sure she attended every child’s game, if only for an inning.
When asked her occupation, Paula would typically reply “homemaker.” Prior to children, she was an officer at a bank in Denison, Texas. When her children got older, she worked as a draftsman for a few years at Texas Power & Light. Always jobs where one needed to be methodical and precise. Her husband, Hub passed in 1981 and she was left to raise her youngest son alone.
In 1984, she married Gene Thornhill. She thought of his four sons and their families as her own. Many enjoyable and loud times were had by this lady and her large family. For over twelve years, Gene and Paula owned the Trails End Ranch near Van Alstyne, Texas where they raised black Brangus cattle.
In 1997, Paula and Gene moved to Coppell, Texas where she lived until her death. She was a member of First United Methodist Church Coppell and a Stephen Minister for the congregation. During her time in Coppell, Paula was very active in her Sunday school group, played plenty of bridge, and loved living so close to her family. You can ask the grandkids, “Cousin Sleepovers” with Mamaw were legendary!
Paula Thornhill is survived by eight children and their partners, Renee and Terry Zettle, Randy and Robin Hubbard, Ron and Kristi Hubbard, Rob Hubbard and Cyndi Carlton, Sam and Stefani Thornhill, Terry and Teresa Thornhill, Larry and Jeanie Thornhill and Garry and Lisa Thornhill. In addition, she is survived by grandchildren, Elyse and Will Arrington, Evan Hubbard, Tori Zettle, Jarrett Hubbard, Kate Hubbard, Bethany Hubbard, Peyton Hubbard, RJ Hubbard and Sara Thornhill, great-grandchildren, Mia and Glenn, and two brothers, Joe Gilliland and Gaylord Gilliland. Paula is preceded in death by her husbands, Glenn Hubbard and Gene Thornhill and sisters, Bertie Murphy, Sarah Rich and Jerry Foreman.
A memorial service will be held Monday, July 11 at 10:00 am in the Sanctuary of First United Methodist Church Coppell. A reception will follow immediately at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her memory to First United Methodist Church Coppell.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.17