Paula Errolo Burford, 80, of College Place, Wash., a former Medical Springs resident, died Sept. 17, 2006, at her daughter’s home.
Her funeral was at 1 p.m. today at the chapel of the Munselle-Rhodes Funeral Home in Milton-Freewater. A concluding service and interment was at the Milton-Freewater Cemetery.
Errolo was born on March 25, 1926, at Medical Springs. She was the youngest of 10 children born to Joseph Coleman and Katie Rosilla Deuel Lay. She was raised on a ranch near Union and attended Union schools.
After graduation from high school, she attended Brigham Young University at Provo, Utah, where she studied art. Later she moved to Los Angeles and worked for Western Union.
On Sept. 16, 1949, she married a hometown Oregon boy, Clifford Edwin Burford, in Los Angeles. The newlyweds returned to Oregon and eventually had six children. They lived at Milton-Freewater for several years. She was a full-time mom, who taught, loved and encouraged her children. She loved music and the arts and provided lots of hands-on creative experiences for her children.
Errolo enjoyed oil painting, cake decorating, creative writing, sewing and all kinds of crafts. She was a fun-loving, enthusiastic person with a great sense of humor.
She valued friendship and had many friends throughout the country. After the Burfords retired, they moved to Walla Walla, Wash., in 1990.
Errolo was an avid genealogist who generously taught and assisted others with their family research. She was very active in her church, blessing many lives with her compassionate service.
Her great example of faith, compassion and love will forever be remembered by her family and all who knew her.
She was preceded in death by her husband, who died on March 9, 2005.
Survivors include her four sons, Blaine Burford of Prescott, Ariz., Kim Burford of College Place, Wash., Paul Burford of Sherwood and Zane Burford of Queen Creek, Ariz.; two daughters, Erralee Cleveland of McMinnville, and Paula Mooso of College Place, Wash.; a sister, Gay Lerwill of Redding, Calif.; 18 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; 36 nieces and nephews; and numerous great- and great-great nieces and nephews.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, September 19, 2006
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor