Paula Schneider Egbert, aged 75, passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 6th at her home surrounded by family. She was born on August 30, 1950 in Columbus, Ohio to Frank and Ann (Feeney) Schneider.

After a lifetime of exercise, healthy living, and an avoidance of smoking she was, like many similar folks, shocked to be diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. She learned and began educating all of her family and friends that lung cancer is not usually caused by smoking. Because of its association with smoking, and the unfortunate tendency for humans to victim-blame, lung cancer research is grossly underfunded. Paula always fought for those who needed a champion. It is this legacy we are honoring as we seek to raise funds so that one day folks, regardless of a past history of smoking or not, who receive a lung cancer diagnosis will also hear about the cure for it.

Paula was diagnosed over three years ago and was told that she would live 12 to 18 months. Her daughter, Teresa, a veteran nurse at The James, inherited her mother’s fighting spirit. Teresa searched for and found information on a doctor who might be able to extend her mom’s quality and quantity of life. As a result of Teresa’s advocacy, Paula began receiving a number of novel treatments under the care of Dr. Carolyn Presley. By connecting her mom with Dr. Presley, Teresa gave us the most precious gift of all--more time with Paula.

She was preceded in death by her husband of fifty-four years, William M. Egbert who passed away on June 18th of 2023. They had an all-encompassing partnership working together as real estate agents, as parents, and as each other’s best friend.

She is survived by her children Colin, David, Daniel, and Teresa; her grandchildren Sean, Elliott, Oliver, Rocky, Olana, and Mia; her siblings Julia, Tom, Mary, Frank, and Bob.

As a deeply dedicated real estate agent, she served her clients and got to know them, their families, and their hopes and dreams for their homes and their lives. She often told stories about her favorite clients to her family. That mix of expertise and genuine care brought clients back for their next move, and led them to send their friends and family her way. The “Picky Paula” list, when followed, was guaranteed to lead to a speedy and strong home sale.

“I don’t want things. I want to DO things.” was one of her oft-repeated mantras. As “Adventure Grandma”, she surprised strangers, but not her family, by being the only over 70 year old jumping with her grandkids at the trampoline park and taking a turn water skiing behind her brother’s power boat. She loved Broadway musicals and was an usher with CAPA for many years. In later years, she switched from guiding folks to their seats to sitting in one as a season ticket holder along with her daughter, Teresa. As a volunteer for the Welcome Team at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus, she embodied the warmth, kindness, and acceptance of her church.