Paula Jeanine Archer-Wyatt, of Cleveland, Tn., died after a lengthy illness Saturday morning, May 12, 2012 at Sisken Rehabilitation Hospital in Chattanooga.
Paula grew up in Kingsport, Tn., and graduated from Sullivan West High School in 1976. At Sullivan West High School she was the pianist for the choir and often a soloist in the ensemble. During her senior year she sang in the Tennessee All State Choir. While in high school she was the pianist at Glen Alpine UMC. She was voted Miss Congeniality in the Miss Kingsport Pageant of 1976. She continued her education at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Lincoln Memorial University, and graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. After graduation she taught music in the Knox County Public Schools for two years. She also pursued her Master’s in Music at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. She was always involved in and known for her voice, music and theatrical abilities. During her years in Knoxville she performed in several musical theater productions.
For the past 18 years, Paula served as Special Adjunct Instructor of Music at Lee University (in Cleveland, TN). She taught applied piano students and conducted small jazz ensembles. In addition she wrote the vast majority of the arrangements and original music for these award-winning groups. She was also a professional vocalist/composer/keyboardist and performed regularly at Mountain View Inn with her husband on Sunday afternoons. Her enormous talent was greatly enjoyed by those in her circle of students, music colleagues, family and friends and will be sorely missed. She was always the life of the party, telling story after story, filled with laughter and love.
She was preceded in death by her father, Talmadge A. Archer of Kingsport; an infant sister, Vonda Jane Archer; and grandparents, James Monroe Archer and Blanche Archer and John and Mamie Trivette.
She is survived by her husband of 21 years, Alan K. Wyatt of Cleveland; mother, Alma Archer of Kingsport; sister and brother-in-law, Kim and M.G. Moran of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; sister and brother-in-law, Teresa and Greg Bass of Kingsport; brother and sister-in-law, David and Angie Archer of Richmond, Va.; nephews, Jamie Banks and Nathaniel Moran of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; niece, Kaitlyn Bass of Kinsgport; nephew, Shane Bass and wife, Lindsay Bass and great-nieces, Ella and Abby Bass of Bedford, Va.; and nephew, Ethan Archer of Richmond, Va.; her great-aunts, Irene Hite and Anne Kate Edwards, Aunt Clancie Archer, Uncle Ovalee and Aunt Shirley Archer and Aunt Irene Trivette, all of Kingsport and Aunt Betty and Uncle Don Kincheloe of Summerville, S.C. and Aunt Grace Moran of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; many special cousins and relatives; and special friend (adopted son) Shaun Sneed of Cleveland.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 16, in the Lee University Chapel with Pastor Wendell Smith, Pastor Kelvin Page and the Reverend Patrick Wooden officiating. Interment will follow in Steadman Baptist Church Cemetery in Tallapoosa, Ga.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, May 15 from 5-9 p.m. at Grissom Funeral Home and on Wednesday, May 16 from 10 a.m. -12 p.m. at the Lee University Chapel prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to Lee University for the Paula Archer-Wyatt Scholarship Fund.
Grissom Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.