Paula M. Hanover

Paula Marie (Dunbar) Hanover

Born December 27, 1923

Died September 22, 2019

Paula grew up on a farm in Jewel, Ohio.  Having 2 younger brothers, Ned and Don, she logically became a tomboy.  In high school, she played softball and the tuba.  From her days on the farm, she shared stories of when her family got electricity and indoor plumbing, the animals and crops that they raised, and driving a tractor before she drove a car.  We learned from her that corn needed to be knee-high by the fourth of July.

After high school she obtained her RN degree at Robinwood Hospital in Wauseon, Ohio. While working at a hospital in Angola, Indiana, she met Clair Hanover who was working part-time in the hospital while attending Tri-State College. They were married in June, 1951, and moved to Speedway where Clair worked as an engineer at Allison.

Paula was a nurse in an obstetrician’s office when she was married.  She soon learned that she was pregnant with Charles, and her daughter Marilyn was born 3 years later. While raising Charles and Marilyn, she worked part-time as a private duty nurse at St. Vincent’s and Methodist hospitals. During the month of May she often was the nurse for drivers injured at the Indianapolis 500 in Speedway.   After Clair passed away at the early age of 53, she took a refresher course to get her RN license reactivated.  She worked part time at IU Hospital on the floor where facial cancer surgery patients were recovering.  She felt great pride when the doctors commented that their patients did very well under her care.  Reliving some of her tomboy days, she even played on a hospital softball team with other staff from her ward.

She was an avid Pacers fan. When a game was televised, she would turn down the volume and listen to the radio because she liked the radio announcer better than the one on TV. She had a friendly rivalry with a nursing school friend who was a hard-core Boston Celtics fan.

She also enjoyed gardening, growing house plants, playing card games, playing pool, and, especially, bowling.  She had a green thumb and liked to grow roses, vegetables, houseplants, and flowers.  She was on a bowling team for many years.  Her time with the bowling team was very special to her, and she was a league member until she was in her late 70’s.  She travelled with her bowling team to many National Bowling tournaments throughout the US.  They didn’t win, but they had fun each night playing cards and gambling with pennies.   She also enjoyed travelling with other friends on tours to Alaska and several countries in Europe.  And she always took lots of pictures.

She was a devoted Christian with a strong love of our Lord.  She always had a Guidepost magazine on her table!  She was a member of St. Andrews Lutheran Church for 55 years.  She participated in Circles, sang in the choir, played hand bells, and was a frequent and very willing volunteer whenever the church needed help — doing everything from stuffing bulletins, wrapping presents, and making dinners.  She also volunteered at The Little Red Door and visited patients at Central State Hospital.

As you would expect, family was paramount to Paula.  She was very proud of her two children, Charles and Marilyn, who are both Purdue engineers.  Marilyn took on Paula’s love of plants and gardening, playing pool, and even tried bowling (but was never as good as Paula).  Paula really enjoyed making annual trips to visit Marilyn in Michigan on her birthday in September.  Marilyn eventually moved to Virginia, and several times she drove with a friend to visit on her birthday.  As she got older, it became more difficult to travel that far.

Charles carried on Paula’s love of pool, but sidestepped the gardening and bowling.  Charles married Patty, when she graduated from Purdue, and they moved to Carmel, IN.  They have two children, Lisa and David.  As her grandkids grew up, Paula loved making them cookies, and she really enjoyed going to their activities – grandparent’s day at preschool, school programs, piano recitals, youth soccer, basketball, and lacrosse games (even in the cold, rain, and blazing sun).  She was always ready and willing to go.  She was a trooper!  Lisa and David both went to Purdue….and they married Jared and Katie, who they met at Purdue.  Can you guess that Paula was a big Purdue football and basketball fan!   Paula has two great grandchildren, Colton and Maggie, who are free to go to schools of their choice!

Paula enjoyed a long life — filled with family, friends, sports, memories of growing up on the farm, and the love of God.   Her active life was cut short 9 years ago when she developed vascular dementia and had a stroke.  Her caring presence, loving attitude, and words of encouragement are greatly missed.  She is now back with her loving husband whom she greatly missed.

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A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, September 28, 2019 at Flanner Buchanan – Carmel, 325 E Carmel Drive, Carmel.  Visitation will be immediately before the service from 10:00 to 11:00 am.  Burial will be at Washington Park North Cemetery in Indianapolis.

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The family is requesting that donations be given in her memory in lieu of flowers to either:

       St Andrews Lutheran Church / Paula Hanover Memorial Fund

St Andrews Lutheran Church

6118 Crawfordsville Road

Indianapolis, Indiana   46224

       Robin Run Heritage Fund  (with notation: in memory of Paula Hanover)

Robin Run Village

ATTN: Phyllis Patterson

5354 West 62nd Street

Indianapolis, Indiana 46268