Paula Sime, 89, Blooming Prairie

Paula J. Sime, age 89, of Blooming Prairie, passed away Monday, Feb. 12, 2024.

She was born Jan. 16, 1935, in Stockton, Calif., to Neil and Margaret (Cardnell) Karpenter.

She married Denis L. Sime on Sept. 4, 1955, in Duluth. Paula was a resident of Blooming Prairie for 62 years where she was the founder and developer of the original public library and an active member of The Order of Eastern Star and The Book Club. Paula was an avid reader and an excellent cook. She loved to make fudge for fund raising raffles, or pies for the Fourth of July pie sale. She was an amazingly generous and caring person who would always have a fresh batch of fudge, cookies, or candy on hand for the UPS delivery driver, snow shovelers, lawn mowers, and grandchildren. Paula was always willing to give a hand to anyone in need and spent many hours of her time on the phone checking in on elderly people to make sure they were doing well. Paula loved nature could often be found feeding birds and giving food scraps to squirrels. She always had a flourishing garden, complete with fruits and vegetables, and flowers.

Paula was preceded in death by Denis, her husband of 48 years, her brother Neil, and her sister Billie.

She will be greatly missed by her surviving family and friends, including sons, Kevin Sime of El Paso, Texas, Mark (Kelly) Sime of New Braunfels, Texas, David (Norma) Sime of El Paso, Texas, John (Tammie) Sime of Faribault, daughter, Debra (Kenneth) Banks of Fairhope, Ala.; grandchildren, Denis, Jason, Eric, Jacob, Adam, Jonathan, Kaitlin, Gregory, Glen, Jeremy, Viktor, Alexander, and several great grandchildren.

Paula will be laid to rest next to her husband May 10, 2024, at the Blooming Prairie Cemetery.