Paula Hunt

The heavens gained the radiant soul of Paula Christine Tucker Baird Hunt on February 10,
2025, as she danced her way into eternity, leaving behind a world forever brighter because of her love, laughter, and kindness. Paula’s beautiful soul, generous spirit, and comforting presence will be greatly missed by many.

Paula was born to George Baird and JenaV Stegell in Salt Lake City, UT on April 12, 1954. She was primarily raised in Tooele County, UT for the majority of her childhood. She attended and graduated from Grantsville High School with the class of 1972. Paula spent some of her teenage years and early 20’s living with her Aunt Shirley, Uncle Gene and cousins Gene and Edward. She truly treasured her time with them.

Paula settled down with Floyd Benjamin Hunt in Grantsville, UT to raise their family. They had been friends since the 1960’s. Paula was a loving mother to 5 children, 3 boys and 2 girls. She was such a generous and caring woman that she also opened her home to many teenagers who felt that they had nowhere else to go or nowhere else that they were accepted. Many kids have looked at her as “Mom”.

Paula, affectionately known as Pauly Wog, lived with a spirit as wild and free as the music she loved to dance to. She found magic in the simple joys of life; laughter filled gatherings, kitchen creations like her legendary fried chicken, chili verde, and enchiladas, and adventures with her life-long best friend Michelle Hunt. She was the kind of woman who could turn a house into a home, a meal into a feast, and a stranger into family.

Her love was fierce, her wisdom deep, and her spirit unbreakable. Though she has slipped beyond our sight, her laughter echoes in our memories, her kindness lingers in the lives she touched, and her love continues to shine, guiding us like constellations in the night sky.

Paula is survived by her sons Timmothy (Amanda), Arnold, and Thomas (Jennifer), her daughter Desiree, her life-long best friend Michelle Hunt, her sisters Pat Tucker and Kathy Madsen, her brother Thomas Baird, her niece Jamie Swann, many nieces and nephews, several cousins, 15 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her mother, father, sister Cindy Baird, Aunt Shirley, Uncle Gene, daughter Stephanie, grandsons Timothy and Thomas Hunt,
granddaughter Briyanah Pendley, nieces Nannette Hamby and Brelynne Otteson, and several other loved family members. May she have a joyous reunion with them.

A celebration of life will be scheduled for later in the spring. The family will announce it at a later date. In honor of Paula’s generous heart, the family asks that you share a kind gesture with someone in need, because if there is one thing Paula taught us, it’s that love and support should always be given freely. Though she may be gone from this world, her love, laughter, and light will never fade.