Paula J. (Brown) Schriner

On March 26, 2024, Paula Schriner left us to join her husband Tom Schriner in heaven.  This sad day gives us the opportunity to honor them both.  Paula was born on March 24, 1948 in Altoona, Pennsylvania.  Tom was born on July 16, 1943 in Mc Kees Rocks, Pennsylvania.  Paula’s family moved to Hopewell, Pennsylvania for her father’s job at J&L Steel.  She and her sister Pam attended high school there.  Tom’s family moved to the farm in 1950.  His five brothers and sister had plenty of room to run and play in the woods.  They also got into plenty of mischief growing up.  There are so many funny stories of the things they did.

Paula was soon to go on a double date with Tom.  The magic of young love was in the air at that time, and they knew they were to be together for a lifetime.  They soon married and had two children, Tammy and Bob.  Tom got a job at J&L Steel and they bought some land in Hookstown, Pennsylvania and raised their family there.  Every Sunday was spent at the farm as well as most holidays with Tom’s siblings and their wives and children.  In 1981 they decided they wanted to move to Arizona.  They settled in Mesa where Tammy and Bob were able to finish school and become young adults.  Tom and Paula enjoyed playing Bingo at Fort McDowell and going out for coffee and maybe a piece of pie in the evenings.  Tom was always writing songs, poems, and short stories.  He also had many ideas for inventions.  He even tried to get a patent for one of his ideas.  Someone had beaten him to the idea though.  He spent time creating music with friends and several of the songs they wrote had interest from established country stars of that time.  Paula had a love of reading and cooking.  Paula’s love of reading was passed to Tammy and cooking to both Tammy and Bob.  She was Italian and anyone who was lucky enough to be a guest at her table probably ate her lasagna, spaghetti or pizza.  She also enjoyed baking bread and pies.

Years of smoking and working at J&L Steel caught up with Tom and as his health declined, Paula spent his final years as his caregiver.  He lost his battle with COPD on July 8, 2012.  Paula was lost without the love of her life.  She moved to Nampa, Idaho to live with her daughter Tammy.  She spent lots of time with her five grandchildren, Robert, Samantha, Daniel, Tyler, and Sabrina.  She also found joy in spending time with her great granddaughter Harmony.  She held a special place in her heart and the time she spent helping to take care of her helped her through her grief.  She was soon blessed with two more great granddaughters, Braelyn and Addison who she also enjoyed spending time with.  Paula continued playing bingo in Nampa making lots of friends there.  When Tammy and Joe Bell married, Joe became her close friend.  She shared many stories with him and Tammy that she had not shared before.

As Paula’s health declined, she fought hard to avoid doctors until she could no longer.  She was rushed to the hospital where she was diagnosed with cancer which took her away from us quickly.  In these last days, she often asked is Tom going to come and get me?  Two days after her birthday, the love of her life, Tom, came to escort her into heaven.

They were preceded in death by both of their parents James Brown and Josephine Stiffler Leslie James Schriner and Helen Schriner.  Tom’s siblings, David Schriner, Richard Schriner, Lyle Schriner, Susanne Schriner and Paul Schriner.  They are survived by Tom’s brother Bob; their children Tammy Bell and husband Joe Bell, and son Bob Schriner; grandchildren Robert Floyd, Samantha Floyd, Daniel Floyd, Tyler Giron, and Sabrina Floyd;  and great grandchildren Harmony De La O, Braelyn Cooper, and Addison Cooper.

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