Linda Paul

Mary Linda (Brumley) Paul passed away on June 27, 2025, in Grand Rapids, MI. She was born December 15, 1943, to Leo and Louise (Parkinson) Brumley in Memphis, TN. She was preceded in death by her parents and sister, Patsy Brown and nephew, Eddie Brown of Tampa, FL. She is survived by the love of her life, Ed Paul and her beloved daughter, Nancy Louise Paul of San Jose, CA. She is also survived by her nieces, Kathy Martocchio and Betty Brown and their families of Tampa, and her “Shindig” cousins of Texas. 

Linda grew up in Cincinnati, OH where she graduated from Sycamore High School. She had a wonderful high school experience that included being prom queen and a cheerleader. She attended Maryville College of Maryville, TN and graduated from Tennessee Tech in Cookeville. After graduation, she and Ed married and moved to Nashville, TN where Ed attended Vanderbilt Law School and she taught fifth grade. Upon Ed’s graduation they moved to Grand Rapids where she taught in the East Grand Rapids Public schools for one year. Later, Linda earned her MAT degree from Aquinas College and then became the fourth employee of the Kent County Literacy Council which has become the Literacy Center of West Michigan. She was there for 10 years and thoroughly enjoyed working with her colleagues and adult students, teaching them to read, write, and speak English.  

Linda enjoyed being engaged with the community. She was the third president of the Ronald Yaw Guild of Blodgett Memorial Hospital. She was a docent for the Gerald R. Ford Museum for the first 10 years after it was built. She taught ESL classes to immigrants, and her favorite volunteer activity was tutoring first graders at Martin Luther King Academy. 

She belonged to Westminster Presbyterian Church for over 55 years where she was an Elder, Deacon, president of the Westminster Women’s Association and served on several committees including helping settle an Iraqi Muslim family in Grand Rapids. 

Linda and Ed spent winter months in Pacific Grove, CA where they enjoyed bicycling the Pacific Coast and spending weekends with Nancy. 

The family will greet friends from 3 to 5pm on Tuesday July 8th at the Metcalf & Jonkhoff Funeral Home.  A memorial service will be held at 11am on Wednesday July 9th at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Memorial contributions can be made to the Literacy Center of West Michigan or to the Westminster Presbyterian Church Mission Restricted Fund. 

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