Paula "PJ" Walker

Paula Walker, 66, boldly handled all challenges with courage and humor until March 31, 2017.  She was born in Akron on May 9, 1950 to the late Paul and Catherine Walker.  Paula graduated from Central High School in 1968 and worked at a couple local companies before deciding to join her brother Greg and his friend Jeff Davis on an adventure to Houston Texas.  Little did PJ realize her future would be there.  There she met her Houston family, Charles and Anne Trevino, Josef, Stefan (Shara, son Kingston), Candance and Claire.  She loved them all very much.  Paula attended Houston Community College, earning an Associate Degree in Sign Language Interpreting.  After becoming certified in Texas, she launched a career as a professional interpreter, working in various schools and clubs as well as the 1992 Republican Convention. 
 

Paula was also active in several organizations, Greater Houston Interpreters for the deaf (GHID), and served as president of the board for Illuminations Theatre with the deaf, which made stage productions accessible for deaf audiences.  She merged her interpreting talents with the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), an organization for abused children and because she was a cancer survivor she volunteered with CanCare providing encouragement to patients dealing with cancer. 

Towards the end of her interpreting career in Houston, Paula transitioned from being a student to Adjunct Faculty in the Interpreter Training Program.  She loved encouraging the students she taught at Lone Star College; watching them succeed in their careers after graduation.  She never lost her passion for encouraging even after her retirement. 

Paula became ill in Texas and suffered two bouts of breast cancer as well as other issues and decided to return home in 2008.  She missed her nieces and nephews and now great nieces and nephews were coming along and she wanted to be here.     

Besides her parents, Paula was preceded in death by her sister-in-law, Janet Walker and uncle, Herb and aunt, Agnes Walker.  She is survived by her siblings, Gary Walker, Lyn (Larry) Gwinn and Greg (Deborah) Walker; nieces Heather (Danny), Melissa, Cassandra (Jonathan), Jessica (Joshua) and Carrie Gwinn; nephews, Benjamin (Lynn), Aaron and Cory; great nieces, Brittany, Hope, Hazel, Samiya, and Morgan; great nephews, Dustin and Calvin; great great nephew Anthony and dear friend Dave Harbarger

Paula would be sad if we didn’t acknowledge her wonderful, enduring, life-long relationships with the Bulick Family, Janie Sutton-Weber, Cris Acker-Williams, Debbie Lugaro-Mcdonald, Barb Ashbee, Bonita Williams, as well as Linda Kovach.

Funeral service will be held at 11:30 A.M. on Saturday, April 8, 2017 at Schermesser Funeral Home, 600 E. Turkeyfoot Lake Rd. (SR619), Akron, Ohio 44319 with Pastor Jeffrey Hancock and Dave Bogue officiating.  Family and friends may call on Friday from 6 to 8 P.M. at the funeral home.  Interment will be at Greenlawn Memorial Park.  Memorial contributions may be made in Paula’s name to the Revolution Youth Ministries of the Arlington Memorial Baptist Church, 2330 E. Market St., Akron, OH 44312.  To leave a special message online for the family, visit our website at www.schermesserfh.com.

SCHERMESSER
(330) 899-9107
www.schermesserfh.com