Paula Rae Hannawacker

Paula was born to Jayann D. and Victor E. Dilley on November 30th, 1950. She and her dog Tuffy spent the first five years growing up in Union Gap, Washington in their home on 4th street. At three, she was diagnosed with Bulbar polio which she fought to overcome. She continued in her adolescent years in a home designed by her mother on Meadowbrook Road just west of Union Gap. As she grew, her deep love for animals grew also. She had several horses one of which she showed at events all over Washington state. Paula also enjoyed the Ridge Runners with her mom and dad. These jeep runs gave her the first opportunity to experience the beauty and tranquility of the mountains and forest. She continued to be called to the mountains as she participated in the Camp Fire Girls. She advanced in the organization and became a leader and advisor. As a Camp Fire Girl, she was chosen to greet President Lyndon B. Johnson to Yakima. When Paula received her driver’s license her dad gave her the keys to his pride and joy red jeep as her transportation to Eisenhower High School. The jeep’s bright red color and custom roll bar allowed dad to always know just where Paula was and had been. Then at seventeen, she was diagnosed with insulin dependent Type 1 diabetes yet still marched in the next year’s Rose Parade. Paula graduated from high school in 1969 and began her education in nursing at Yakima Valley Community College. She married the “boy down the street”; however, the marriage did not work out. She continued her education and graduated as a registered nurse. She began her profession at Memorial Hospital in Yakima and after a period in neonatal care, she chose to be assigned to the Coronary Care/Intensive Care Unit and remained there until 1980. In 1979 Paula was in the process of making the final arrangements to move to Fairbanks, Alaska however, she meet the future love of her life through family and friends and after a very wonderful courtship, she married Walter L. (Dutch) Hannawacker on May 10th, 1980, and moved to Bremerton, Washington. This was a beginning of a very special relationship. She resumed her registered nurse duties working the Coronary Care/Intensive Care Unit. She also participated in the direction of the Cardio/Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program for Bremerton and Poulsbo. Together they began a search for a church to attend which adhered to articles of faith that they felt were important. Paula fell in love with Dutch’s mom and together they began attending the woman’s day class of Bible Study Fellowship and were able to influence Dutch to join the men’s evening program soon after. Paula had a basic relationship with God through her grandmother as her dad would not allow religious discussions in his house. Through her reading and study of the Bible, Paula grew in her faith and accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and was baptized. She attended Bible Study Fellowship for seventeen years. During this period, she was called to leadership positions in the children’s department as a leader and then supervisor. She had a great love for the children and effected the lives of many. Paula and Dutch spent several weeks each year fishing in the mountains of Idaho. It was there that Paula’s love for the hills and critters grew into a genuine desire to live in the forest. They both retired April 1st, 1993, and spent the next 8 months (lake break-up to lake freeze) having fun. The next few years were spent caring for Dutch’s mom then Paula’s dad and mom. During these trying times she never lost her desire for the beauty and serenity of the forest. After the passing of her dad, Paula and Dutch began a search in earnest for a home in the mountains. After many disappointments, they found a home on the Naches River that was surrounded by tall fir and pine trees, a river fed pond in the back yard and only a few yards to the river. They moved in in November of 2002 and rapidly became active in the Nile Valley Community Church. Paula began feeding the young salmon that we were being acclimated in the pond by agreement with the Yakama Tribe, feeding the geese which came back each February and left in early October, deer, elk and all other types of wildlife. She found great comfort in her walks in the forest. She was the happiest there. But all wonderful things have an ending and in 2020 she and Dutch agreed that they could no longer take care of their paradise. They moved to Apple Tree Resort in Yakima and began once again to search for a church. After a few looks, she felt a warm welcome and love in the Naches Church of the Nazarene. Almost immediately she felt as if she were part of the church family. As she always had done in the past, she began to serve the Lord and her church family. She was called to serve on the church board, a calling which she readily accepted and strived to fulfill to the best of her ability. Paula never made a commitment that she did not give 100% to fulfill. She did so many kind and loving things for her church family for which she never asked or expected reward or recognition. Everyone she encountered felt her genuine love. 2025 was not a kind year for Paula. In January she had 2 heart ablations, and she received a pacemaker transplant. The last of April found her on the floor with a giant bump on the head which turned out later to have been caused by a small stroke. May 10th, her 45th wedding anniversary found her in the hospital with an acute UTI. It was while she was hospitalized that the doctors found that she had had a small stroke. They also found growths on the lymph system in and around her lungs and in her groin. To make matters a little more complicated she was determined to have dementia. On December 30th, she was taken to the hospital emergency room and immediately flown to Harborview Hospital in Seattle, Washington. There she was diagnosed with an intraventricular hemorrhage. She spent 2 weeks in Harborview Hospital and then was returned to Yakima via ambulance and admitted to a nursing care facility. On January 19, 2026, Paula Rae Hannawacker passed peacefully in her sleep into the arms of her beloved Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am sure that when she arrived at her forever home that she was greeted with “well done my good and faithful servant”. Paula never had any children of her own however she deeply loved Dutch’s children, Terry L. Smith of Kentucky, Steven K. Hannawacker of California, Walter L. (Chip) Hannawacker of Poulsbo, Washington, Kris C. Hannawacker of Yakima, Washington and Sue D. Simons of Silverdale, Washington. She was a second mother to each one never trying to replace their mother but to love, advise, protect, and nourish them physically and spiritually. She was loved by them, their children and their grandchildren. A memorial service will be held for Paula at the Naches Church of the Nazarene on the 28th of February 2026 at 11:00 am. Instead of flowers, please make all contributions to the Naches Church of the Nazarene.

Paula Rae Hannawacker

November 30, 1950 - January 19, 2026

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Paula Rae Hannawacker

November 30, 1950 - January 19, 2026

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