PAULA LANETTE GRIFFETH

Palmer resident Paula Lanette Griffeth, 52, died Sept. 16, 2004, at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, at the First United Pentecostal Church, at the corner of 235 W. Albrecht and the Glenn Highway in Palmer. A celebration of life will follow. Her ashes will be spread in Kauai, Hawaii.

Mrs. Griffeth was born Oct. 22, 1951, in San Angelo, Texas, and moved to Alaska in 1969. She married Colby Griffeth on Nov. 14, 1972 and resided in Rabbit Creek, where she had three children.

She was a housewife while her children were young and operated a day-care center in her home. In 1981, she moved to Wasilla and worked as a switchboard operator for several years.

From 1985 to 1996 she was employed by Carrs Quality Center in Wasilla as a department manager.

In 1996, she moved to Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, where she worked as a customer service representative in various clothing stores. In 1999, she returned to Alaska, where she was employed as a resident manager at North Star Management at the Willow Point Apartments until June 2004.

While she was employed at Carrs in Wasilla, she was president of the employee task force, Employee of the Year and Employee of the Month. She was a volunteer for community schools and a representative for the United Way.

Mrs. Griffeth was an excellent cook and enjoyed halibut fishing, gardening and making crafts for her friends and family. She was proud of her five-generation family and loved decorating for every holiday and spending holidays with family.

Her family said, "She had a heart of gold. She enjoyed telling a good joke and making others laugh. She was always ready for a new grandchild. Despite her medical concerns, she insisted on living a full life. Her love for her husband, children, grandchildren and friends is everlasting."

Her grandchildren said, "She was the 'bestest grandma.' She made the 'bestest' cornbread and she gave the best hugs."

Mrs. Griffeth was preceded in death by her father, Billy Burl Crowder; mother, Wanda Crowder and grandson, Jonah Griffeth.

Survivors are her husband, Colby Griffeth; sons, Kenneth Griffeth and Clinton Griffeth; daughter, Tanya Griffeth; grandmother, Mary Trice; brother, Ron Crowder; sister, Susan Crowder; grandchildren, Jessica, Daniel, Kellsy, Noah, Hayden, Hope and Aleia; extended family members, Emily Alexia, Kathi, Glynna Dave, Ben and many true and dear friends.

Flowers are welcome or memorial donations may be sent to: MVFCU c/o Paula Griffeth, Account #73959 PA. The family said, "We would like to express our sincere thanks for your love, support and compassion."

Arrangements were made by Valley Funeral Home and Crematory in Wasilla.