Paula Fay BURNS
OBITUARY
BURNS Paula Fay (McGraw), Paula (McGraw) Burns, died in Dallas on September 7, 2025, at 79. She was born on December 21, 1945, in Long Beach, CA and grew up in Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul, and graduated from Central High School, St. Paul, with honors, spoke fluent Spanish and attended the University of Wisconsin.
Paula married former Marine Roger Burns in 1967, and they had two children, Stacey, born in 1968, and Kevin born in 1972. In 1972, Roger joined the Air Force, and the family moved between assignments as Roger was an officer on a B-52 crew. Roger and Paula divorced in 1984. Paula moved to Dallas and created successful transcription businesses in both Texas and Minnesota. In 1987, Paula met and later married Vic, and they traveled throughout the US and to dozens of countries during their over 30 years together.
Paula was an avid reader of fiction, having read thousands of books, and the author she most respected was Jane Austen and passed on her love of reading to her children. She had a wonderful sense of humor, was also a great cook, and had a special ability to create unique meals from leftovers. As her son Kevin joked, “My mom is the leftover queen, just give her an old sock and some beef jerky and the next thing you know you have a complete roast beef dinner.”
Paula leaves behind many long-time friends, including Nancy (Mackey) Ooley of Woodbury, Terry Sefcik-Chellen of Minneapolis, Barb Springfield of Plano, Texas, and Carol and Jerry Jordan, of Aurora, Colorado.
Paula is survived by her daughter, Stacey, son-in-law, Dr. Jason McGrath, of Minneapolis; brother, Warren McGraw of Chicago; sister, Jane Drumheller of Ithaca; and her husband, Vic of Dallas. Paula is preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Louise McGraw, and her son Kevin.
A private memorial was held in St. Paul on June 27, 2026, with many friends and relatives.