The Rev. Paula Calderini Hoos, age 69 of Franklin, Tenn., passed away Jan. 24, 2017 at Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand.
Her parents were Genaur “Bill” Calderini and Magdalene Scott Calderini, of Arnold, Penn.
She is survived by her husband Dr. Richard Tipton Hoos, daughter Laura Hoos Berlind (Andreas), son Scott Tipton Hoos, her two adored grandchildren, Ellis Magdalene and Nikolas Tipton Berlind, her adoring dog Kate, all of Franklin and Brentwood, and brother Mark Delano Calderini of Tampa, Florida.
Her memorial service will be Friday, Feb. 3, at Christ United Methodist Church, 508 Franklin Road, visitation 1 p.m., service 2 p.m.
Paula was born in Arnold, Penn., and had a rich heritage: her father was a first-generation Italian immigrant, and her mother was from rural Alabama. She graduated at the top of her class from Arnold High School, then Mount Union College in Ohio before coming to Vanderbilt for graduate school in anatomy. She and Rick married while he was a second year medical student.
Together they moved to Cleveland, Ohio, and Boston, Mass., as he pursued medical training and she completed her Master’s degree, memorably defending her thesis while quite pregnant with their first child, Laura.
After moving back to Nashville, she began assisting in the Gross Anatomy course for the first year medical students, while completing her PhD in anatomy, with research focused on reproductive biology. She joined the faculty of the Vanderbilt School of Medicine in 1981, and in 1983 became the director of the Gross Anatomy course, a position she held for 15 years. Her students held her in high esteem, presented her with the Silver Shovel Award for best lecturer, and named an additional teaching award after her, given to the fourth year student who was the most helpful assistant in the anatomy lab. At age 50 she heard the call and changed careers, going back to the other side of the classroom at the Vanderbilt Divinity School, where she earned her third advanced degree, the MDiv, finishing third in her class. She was subsequently ordained in the United Methodist Church. She served Christ UMC as associate pastor, and then was sole pastor at Liberty and Trinity UMC, all in Franklin. She retired in 2010, but she was always busy with projects like remodeling the house, a photo book of family history, photography, gardening, travel and most recently, delightedly caring for her grandchildren. The trip to New Zealand was at the top of her bucket list. The cause of death was a severe post-viral bacterial pneumonia that did not respond to prompt, aggressive, excellent treatment. In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to a favorite charity. Her own choices would be the National Park Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, the Great Smoky Mountains Association, any animal rescue service, or Planned Parenthood.
WILLIAMSON MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES, 615-794- 2289. www.williamsonmemorial.com
