Paula Lee Barnes Cain's Obituary
Born June 27, 1916, to Edd Lee Barnes and Tula Robinson Barnes in Hallsville, Texas. Mrs. Cain received her education in the Hallsville public schools where she graduated with honors. She was also an honor student at Southwest Texas State Teacher’s College (now Texas State University) and also attended Enid Business College in Enid, Oklahoma. Mrs. Cain was voted high school and college beauty as well as Most Popular in high school.
Mrs. Cain was married to Hamilton Bennett Cain, her high school sweetheart, for 60 years when he preceded her in death in1994.
Mrs. Cain was very active in the Church of Christ wherever Shell Oil Co. sent them, teaching classes and singing alto in the choral groups. In all the locations Shell Oil Co. sent them, Mrs. Cain always made herself a part of the community whether it be civic, church, or school. She always found people to love.
Mrs. Cain served in every capacity in PTA, Cub Scout Den Mother and even taught “Dog Care and Training” to Faron’s “4H” group at Quitman. She was a charter member of the Hallsville Study Club and Music Study Club. In Quitman, she served as the President of Band Boosters, she was a member of the Ellen Braley Garden Club, and traveled the state participating in and judging flower shows. She also was a founding director of the Quitman Scenic Association and was elected to serve on the Quitman ISD Board of Trustees. She was a former member of Hallsville Chamber of Commerce where she served on the Membership Committee and the Beautification Committee. While attending Alpine Church of Christ she was a dedicated member of the Young at Heart Sunday School class.
Mrs. Cain’s hobbies were fishing Caddo Lake or any other hole of water; travel, and flower designing. Visiting with all her friends at the senior citizen functions was so special.
Mrs. Cain was baptized into the Church of Christ in Green’s Lake (now Highway Lake) in Hallsville, Texas. She, Audrey Ponder Frey and Thelma Richardson Harper were baptized together when they were 12 years old.
A professor once wrote in Mrs. Cain’s annual, “Brains and beauty- a gift from the Gods.” She forever valued that quote.
Preceding her in death are her parents, her husband, Hamilton; an infant son, Bennie Barnes Cain, brother, Edwin Barnes, sister, Stella Virginia Barnes Mauldin, and “running buddy” Rex Pickens who brought so much joy and love to her life from 1995 until his death. Rex called her his “American Express” card… He didn’t want to leave home without her. This friendship also brought the McNulty family into Paula’s life whom she cared about deeply.
Survivors: Son, Faron, grandson, Brant and wife, Courtney, and her nieces and nephews who were a treasured part of her life.
Special thanks to Jeanette Moore, the wonderful lady who served as Paula’s best friend, companion, chauffeur, “daughter”, and caregiver during the last few years of her life.
Mrs. Cain wrote the following passages and requested that they be read as part of her funeral service. “The greatest thing in our life was a precious baby boy born on July 15, 1953, whom we named Faron Lee Cain. From that day on life became busy-busy, centered on everything it took to make the ‘boy’ and the ‘man’ we dreamed for. Never were we disappointed. Then came Faron’s precious son, Brant Lee Cain, and again we were busy-busy. He has made us just as happy and proud and has completed my life as he became a man. We were then blessed with a beautiful daughter-in-law, Courtney Cain, in November of 2017. We could not have asked for a greater blessing to all of our lives. How pleased his Poppy would be.”
Services for Mrs. Cain will be held on Friday, January 19, 2018, at 10:00 A.M. at Rader Funeral Home- Longview with Rodney Cox and Joe Hancock officiating. Burial service will be at Hallsville Cemetery in Hallsville under the direction of Rader Funeral Home.
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