Paula Marie Flower, age 73, of Springfield, Missouri, went to Heaven Friday, August 26, 2011 at Maranatha Lodge in Springfield. She was a retired Assemblies of God Missionary to Africa, serving forty years.
Paula was born July 26, 1938 in Eagle Grove, Iowa to W. Paul and Mary Flower. She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, David Flower. She is survived by a sister, Linda Rutherford, and her husband, Rev. Irvin Rutherford, of South Carolina, and a brother, A. Alan Flower of Sun City, Arizona, several nieces and nephews, and a host of friends.
Paula expressed a call to missions, to serve in Africa, at a very early age. She fulfilled that call with a lifetime of devoted service to the people she loved in Senegal, West Africa. Prior to her appointment as an Assemblies of God missionary, she served as a missionary volunteer to Liberia, West Africa.
She was renowned for her love of music, capably playing the piano, saxophone and accordion. Her career in Africa was marked by her ministry of teaching music as well as playing in various settings. Paula also taught additional subjects in the national Bible school as well as traveling extensively to the interior of Senegal in teaching and evangelism ministry.
Memorial services will be held Tuesday, August 30, 2011, at 2:00 P.M. at Central Assembly of God with Rev. Donald Tucker officiating. Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Monday, August 29, 2011 at Greenlawn North Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens.
Memorials are suggested to Assemblies of God World Missions – Africa Field.