Paula Moulton, compassionate social worker, sought-after soprano, beloved spouse, mother and grandmother, died of complications of dementia, heart valve stenosis and Covid 19 on July 12, 2024, at Sequoias of San Francisco where she had lived since 2016.
Born in Newton MA, to Paul and Jesse Thayer, the family moved to Kennebunk, ME, when Paula was 9, where her parents ran the Kennebunk Laundry for decades.
Paula attended University of New Hampshire as a music major and transferred to Boston University before marrying Walter Andrew Moulton in 1958. She and Walter were both Kennebunk residents who had become reacquainted at a town Christmas sing along when they were both on Christmas break from college. Walter's Naval service took them around the southern United States until they landed in Long Beach, CA. There they welcomed Valerie Jeanne in 1961. They returned to Kennebunk, ME, later that year where Walter taught at Kennebunk High School. There they welcomed Barbara Lynn in 1962.
Paula attended several colleges and completed her undergraduate work at University of Southern Maine in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and in 1983 received her Masters in Social Work from University of Connecticut. Paula started her career as a Social Worker with the Maine Department of Human Services in 1973 and then worked for the Maine Medical Center Department of Psychiatry, where she was Program Coordinator until 1987. She then moved to Beaumont, TX, when Walter began his second career as a Unitarian minister. Paula worked for the Family Services Association of Beaumont as a Clinical supervisor. Returning to Maine in 1993, she was Director, Dual Diagnosis Services, at Shoreline Community Mental Health.
In addition to her career as a Social Worker, she sang as a professional soloist at The Kennebunk Unitarian Church, among other places. She and Walter were devoted members of that church for decades. After Texas she accompanied Walter to ministries in Groton, MA, Mentor, OH, Philadelphia, PA, and finally Watertown, NY. They returned to their beloved Kennebunk in retirement.
She moved to San Francisco's Sequoia Living in 2016 to be nearer to Barbara and her family. In her retirement Paula enjoyed traveling, playing violin, theater, symphony, and her grandchildren. She sang for both the SF Unitarian Church Choir and the Sequoia Voices and played her violin with a trio at Sequoias.
Walter predeceased her in 2006. Paula is survived by her loving daughters, Valerie Berg (Thomas) of Vienna, VA, and Barbara Moulton (James Hannawalt) of San Francisco, CA, and five perfect grandchildren whom she adored: Elizabeth Berg (Michael Marshak) of Longmont, CO, Kristina Berg (Jon Cox) of Denver, CO, Tia Berg of West Palm Beach, FL, Jesse Hannawalt (Hannah Kortbawi) of San Francisco, CA, and Madelyn Moulton of Chicago, along with many cherished nieces, nephews and cousins.
She and her family are immensely grateful to her community at Sequoias San Francisco for their excellent care. Memorial celebrations of her life will be held at Sequoias San Francisco on July 29 at 3:30 in the Fireside Lounge, and at the Unitarian Church of Kennebunk, ME, on Oct 5 at 10 am. If you wish to make a donation in her name, please consider donating to the Unitarian Church of Kennebunk (First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, 114 Main St., Kennebunk, ME 04043) or The Brick Store Museum, 117 Main Street, Kennebunk, ME 04043.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.11.2