Submitted by: Dan Rich

Paula Tanner Girard

Oct. 19, 1929 - Nov. 28, 2008

South Bend Tribune 11/30/2008 (Excerpts)

SOUTH BEND - Paula Tanner Girard was born October 19, 1929 in South Bend, Indiana to dentist, Dr. Paul Mitchell Tanner and teacher/homemaker, Gladys May (Porter) Tanner. Paula graduated with honors in 1947 from John Adams High School in South Bend. In 1949, Paula graduated from Principia College in Elsah, Illinois with an Associates of Arts degree. She transferred to The Academy of Fine Arts in Chicago for additional studio art training. Taking a break from her academic studies, she was hired as a stewardess with American Airlines. Based in New York, she flew the route between Chicago and New York, where she met her husband of 57 years, Jerry Girard, who was working as an accountant with American Airlines. After the marriage ceremony in South Bend on June 23, 1951, Paula and Jerry drove to Florida towing a 12-foot travel trailer. They were still living in the trailer in Jacksonville when their first son, G. Tanner, was born in May 1952. They soon moved to a new home before the births of son, Michael, in 1954 and daughter, Marva, in 1956. In 1957, Paula and family moved to Central Florida, and eventually the Maitland neighborhood on Lake Seminary where Paula lived since 1958. During the next 50 years, Paula nurtured her family while actively pursuing her interests in studio art, education, writing, genealogy, nature, and travel. In the late 1950's and early 1960's, Paula also combined her love of art and nature by serving as co-editor/writer/illustrator for The Young Naturalists Afield in Florida supplement to Florida Audubon Magazine from 1963 to 1967. Her first book, The Brave Little Plant was first published in 1968 by the Macmillan Company for their primary reading program. Eventually available in both paper and audio editions, the book has been translated into several languages and sold worldwide. While raising her family, Paula earned a BGS degree in Elementary Education from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, and a Master of Education degree from the University of Central Florida. She was proud to work as an art teacher in several Seminole County schools for 10 years and share her love of art with young students. After raising her family, Paula's professional "Second Act" resulted in the publication of more than 10 novels and anthology stories in the Zebra Regency Romance series after her 65th birthday. She has watched jewel-like hummingbirds in the rainforests of Central America, encountered bears and rattlesnakes in the Rocky Mountains, discovered ancient pictoglyphs in the caves of Baja California, and descended into a volcano on the Island of Hawaii. Paula once stayed in a castle in Ireland, explored caves in England, looked for King Arthur in Wales, and searched for the Loch Ness monster in Scotland. She almost got lost in a medina in Morocco, heard romantic stories in a harem in Moorish Spain, and was serenaded in a gondola in Venice. Paula was preceded in death by her parents, and her brother, Dr. Thomas Tanner of South Bend, Indiana. She is survived by her husband, Jerry, sister, Marva Tanner of Belvidere, Illinois, sons G. Tanner (Suellen) of Morrison, Illinois, and Michael (Sara Ware) of Los Angeles, California, daughter Marva of Maitland, Florida, granddaughters Anne and Jaya, grandson Justin, and great-granddaughter Evelyn.