“After all of this good shit I’ve done, if I go to hell, I am going to be royally pissed.” Those who knew Paula best heard her say this a lot in her deepest Steel Magnolias southern accent. Paula passed peacefully in her sleep at her Upper East Side townhome in Manhattan at the age of 92. Her fiery, determined ass made her debut on a snowy, cold Christmas Day in 1976 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Lexington, KY. Her parents jokingly referred to her as the “gift that kept on receiving.” It was evident early on that Paula had an eye for things that shined. As she rose to fame and fortune in her mid-forties, her family told her she was getting above her raising. Her response was, “God, I hope so.” 

Growing up in Madison County was not easy for Paula as she loathed public school, small town living, and the feeling of being fenced in that nearly killed her creative spirit. She showed leadership ability early on, and these leadership skills followed her through adulthood; hence her widely known nickname, “Boss.” Her nickname was the inspiration for her third best seller, “The Boss Curriculum: Metaphysics 301,” that ended up being one of the best-selling books in her genre of all time with nearly 100 million copies sold. 

Not bad for a high school dropout. Paula’s career serves as evidential proof you can show up late to the game and still win. By the time she was 32, she had obtained a bachelor’s in political science and a master’s degree in public administration. At 50, after she had been on a spiritual journey since she was 29, she completed her PhD in metaphysics from the Maharishi International University (MIU). Paula openly accredited metaphysics with changing her life, and she talked about this candidly during her now famous commencement speech at MIU that she gave in 2032. 

Her willingness to be vulnerable helped thousands of people raise their quality of life. She wanted people to learn from her mistakes, so they did not waste years of their lives on toxic people, people pleasing, and unhappiness. Her nonfiction teaching memoirs garnered so much attention from readers and the media that she landed her own television show in 2028 entitled, “Comments from the Left Side,” where each day she opened her segment with her favorite Billy Joel quote, “I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints, the sinners are much more fun.” 

Paula became famous for her manifestation abilities. During her lifetime, she used the laws of attraction to manifest lucrative careers, properties in Kentucky, Florida, Hawaii, Europe, and Manhattan, two yachts (one named “The Manifester”), one husband (Will), financial freedom for her family, ten number one best sellers, happiness, peace, wealth, a grantmaking foundation, and beauty right up until the bitter end. She shared her secrets in her books that are well-known for simplifying metaphysical concepts. From the age of 42 until the day she died, she was wholeheartedly committed to helping people see the light. Early on in her career, she said, “If I can just find a way to make a living helping people I would have it made.” That is exactly what she did. 

Paula was generous, much like her beloved idol, Elvis Presley. Like Elvis, Paula worked hard to provide a better life for her mother, and like Elvis she gave away as much as she made. Through the Paula Swope Foundation, she helped pay college tuition for thousands of underprivileged, smart students from deeply rural areas of Kentucky. Not to mention the philanthropic support she provided to nonprofits like Harbor House of Louisville, Humane Society, and numerous others. 

Paula practiced what she preached, and she lived a happy, peaceful life with her husband of 53 years, Will. She was preceded in death by her parents, Kenneth and Pamela Wilder (Johnson), and by her older sister, Lisa Angel (Wilder). She is survived by her two stepchildren, Nick and Claire Swope, and by her beloved husband, Will Swope. Two days before she died, she said, “If I go before Will, I can’t wait for him to show up in Heaven and walk up on me laughing and talking with Elvis.” Paula is also survived by two nieces, Kassie Angel and Kenzie Wilder, and nephews, Kendan Angel and Owen Swope, and her crew of lifelong friends. 

A celebration of Paula’s life will be held at 3:00 p.m. on October 7, 2068, which would have marked her and Will’s 54th wedding anniversary. The celebration takes place in Memphis, TN at the Guesthouse at Graceland. If Will makes it until October 7, 2068, he and Paula’s closest friends and family will spread her ashes at Elvis Presley’s grave at the Graceland Estate located at 3764 Elvis Presley Blvd, Memphis, TN 38116. 

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Paula Swope Foundation. Send an email to paula@paulaswope.com for more information about how to make your donation.