Marian Grace (Gillette) Paul

Marian Grace (Gillette) Paul, age 97, of The Loft, Canton, IL died at 6:56am on June 26, 2022.

Born on June 12, 1925 in Crawford County in Pennsylvania to Howard Virgil and Edith (Merry)
Gillette.

Marian first married Ellsworth McDonnell; divorcing in 1946. She met and married Ralph Linn Paul of Canton, Illinois on October 7th, 1950 at the First Baptist Church in Canton by Rev. Willis A. Reed. Ralph Linn Paul passed on December 2, 2019.

Surviving are three sons and one daughter:
James E. Paul (Annegret) of Kalamazoo, MI
Ralph Wm. Paul (Patricia) of Normal, IL
Kathleen A. Luker (Michael) of Canton, IL
Jeffrey L. Paul (Tina) of Macomb, IL

Also surviving are one brother, Francis P. (the late Sally) Gillette of Linesville, PA and one brother-in-law, John Wm. (the late Ellen) Paul, Jr. of Escondido, CA. Other survivors include grandchildren Brandi Maldonado, Dawndra Paul, Bryan (Julie) Paul, Michael Barry, William (Sarah) Hickman, John (Kayla) Luker, Andrew (Kim) Paul, Marcus (Briana) Walton, and Tyler (Kylie) Walton, 20 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Deceased are Her Husband of 69 years, Ralph Linn Paul, her parents Harold and Edith Gillette, three brothers, Harold (Sally), Lloyd (Florence), Eugene (Zola) and one sister, Don (Mildred) Hunt, all of Pennsylvania, and great-grandson, Nathan Paul Hickman and great-great granddaughter, Rosalie Whiteman.

Marian was a 1942 graduate of Linesville PA High School and a 1946 graduate of Meadville City Hospital with an RN degree and has worked for the VNA of Erie, PA, Graham Hospital, Home Health, Summer Camping Church program and part-time at a nursing home in Canton, retiring in 1992. Marian also served in the Armed Forces from 1944-1946 in the Nurses Corps.

Volunteer work was enjoyed in Campfire Girls, Prayer Team, Boy Scouts, PTA, Bible School teaching. She was a charter member of Canton/Spoon River Aglow Lighthouse and did Chalk Art presentations. She was also a faithful member of First Baptist Church of Canton and a member of the FBC Choir for over 40 years.

She liked anything to do with art, reading, gardening, flowers, needlework, sewing, entertaining, baking, swimming and reading to little ones. She loved children and served with the FBC Food Pantry since its inception. God, Family, Country...The Lord was First in her Life, close second, her Family and Friends!

Marian would like to recognize “special family members” Fred & RoxAnne Mitchell and Connie Kinsel Miller of Canton. Also, all the Wonderful Staff of The Loft of Canton. Visitation will be held at First Baptist Church from 11am-Noon, Saturday, July 16th with a 12pm funeral service following. Burial will be at White Chapel Memory Gardens. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church Food Pantry or the Spoon River Pregnancy Center of Canton in lieu of flowers.