Remembering Paulette Carr | 1948 – 2022
Six-year CPA member, two-year full-time CP resident, and thirty-year former resident of University City, MO, Paulette Carr passed away in Holland, Michigan on December 20, 2022, at age 74, after an 18-month battle with cancer.
Husband Jim had the CP roots and Paulette grew to love the place as they visited. She loved everything about CP. Walking on the beach to Halfway Creek was a favorite, and it was on such a walk that Paulette expressed interest in having her own place so she could be here more. The Carrs built in 2016 and tried the two-home lifestyle for a few years, then both retired in 2020 to move to CP full-time. They moved during Covid, then cancer was discovered. The walks got shorter and she stayed close to home but continued creative efforts in art, sewing, house, and gardens. She was happiest working on a yard project.
Paulette on the beach with Peyton and Jim
Paulette was raised in Miami FL. She attended Stephens College, Columbia, MO on scholarship, and through an arrangement with the University of Missouri, took upper division science courses on the MU campus. She met her future husband, Jim, there, in a physics class. As an educator Paulette taught technical subjects at various levels, then returned to school and earned her doctorate in Chemistry at the University of Miami (FL). She worked as a scientist in industry, including working on laser technology at McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing), in St. Louis. Motherhood led to another transition when she turned to art, worked in various media, and found her passion in ceramics. Surviving disfiguring breast cancer at 36 years old, she captured the grief she felt in faces and forms of clay. Her work was selected to be displayed in Washington, DC, and then toured the country with the exhibit bringing attention to breast cancer, all as part of the first designated Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October 1985.
Paulette kept the discipline and focus of a scientist in everything she did. When local politics in University City, MO gained her attention she initiated the first audit of the city and built a reputation of doing her research, knowing the facts on issues, and representing citizens. After election to the City Council, she initiated a stormwater task force and commission for the purpose of flood mitigation and served on the planning commission. An overarching goal during her eight years on City Council was economic development and her signature achievement was to explore how a major economic development project could be done and who needed to be involved. Now a few years later the result is the “Market at Olive” multi-tenant development, anchored by Costco. Her leadership went well beyond a councilperson’s job description, and the impact will be felt for decades.
Paulette is survived by her husband of 46 years, Jim, son J. Peyton Carr (Michelle), sisters Diane Yang (Tom) and Sondra Goodman (John), brother-in -law Tom Carr (Nina Ganci) and niece Allyson Barnes.
Memorial gatherings are planned for a later date.
