Paula Anderson

In loving memory of Paula Diane Stucki Anderson

Paula Diane Stucki Anderson passed away peacefully at her home in Woodland, WA on February 10, 2026. Paula was born on June 10, 1941, in Pocatello, Idaho. She was the oldest of nine children born to Virgil H. Stucki and Virginia K. Nicholes. Her father was an oral surgeon who moved the family often, so Paula lived in many different states and towns.

Paula played the flute in the school band and played the piano. She liked school and loved reading and was an avid reader all her life. When she was about 11 ½ years old, her father trained her as his dental assistant, and she worked off and on in his dental practice into her adult years.

Paula graduated from Enterprise High School in Redding, CA as Valedictorian of her class in June 1959 and went on to attend Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah on a scholastic scholarship. In her sophomore year she met her future husband, James (Jim) Leroy Anderson, at a BYU dance. She fell for him because he was cute, he could dance, had a sense of humor, and a car. Jim graduated from BYU in June 1961, and they moved to California where they were married in the Los Angeles Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on September 2nd, 1961.

Paula graduated from California State University, Los Angeles in June 1963 with a BA degree and a teaching credential in Home Economics. After graduating, Paula taught sewing full time for one year in the Los Angeles School District. Throughout her young adult life, Paula made clothes for her family, sewed much of her own home décor, and taught sewing to teens and adults throughout the years.

Jim and Paula moved to Lahaina on the island of Maui in Hawaii in 1964, where she was a substitute teacher while she and Jim began a Honda motor scooter rental business. They were deeply involved in their church community for the 5 years that they lived there and made many lifelong friends. This would be the first of many adventures that Jim and Paula would have together.

They later served an 18-month senior mission for the Church in Nauvoo, IL, and also went to Nanjing, China together to teach at the University of Nanjing.

Paula and Jim moved back to the mainland in 1970 and raised their family in Arcadia, CA. Paula specialized in substitute teaching high school and took jobs that ranged from one day to one year. She taught a variety of subjects, including Band, English, Business, History, and PE (physical education). She became a certified aerobics instructor and taught for 12 years at various athletic clubs in California. Her lifelong passion was family history genealogy research, and she spent many years tracing her family origins. Paula also volunteered at many of the Church’s family history centers over the years helping others with their own family histories.

Jim and Paula moved to Woodland, WA in November 2002. They were heavily involved in their church community and made many lifelong friends. They were also weekly volunteers for over 12 years at the Portland Oregon Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Paula also gave much of her time to the teenage girls of the church.

Paula handcrafted many scrapbooks over the years, eventually discovering digital scrapbooking, and made gifts for many of her friends and family of scrapbooks from special events.

Paula is survived by her three children, Michael Kahaleala, Joseph Milton, and Lorie Joyce Anderson, two brothers, Richard and David Stucki, five grandchildren, Tori, Taylor, Kassie, Kayleigh, and Liliene, and one great grandson, Beckham.

A memorial service will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 281 Insel Rd, Woodland, WA on March 14th at 11am. Friends of any faith are welcome.