Paula Antonia Mauro
Paula Antonia Mauro passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on September 20, 2022, at the age of 86.
Paula was born in Brooklyn, New York on February 9, 1936. She grew up in Middle Village in the family home shared by her mother Anne, father Mario, sisters Patricia and Judy, brother Peter, and extended family including her maternal grandmother from Slovenia.
Childhood summers were spent at the Sound Shore Club in Wading River, NY. After graduating Dominican Commercial High School, Paula held clerical positions at McKesson & Robbins in Queens, then Lever House in midtown Manhattan. She married F. George Kammer on April 22, 1957, moving to Santa Barbara on her wedding day.
Her first job in Santa Barbara was in the Seaside Oil accounting department, where she met life-long family friend Mary Louise Days. In her career as an administrative assistant and bookkeeper, Paula worked for non-profits including the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. She graduated Santa Barbara City College with an AA in business and eventually started her bookkeeping and check-writing company Checkbook Services from which she retired.
Through sewing and tailoring classes at Santa Barbara Adult Education, Paula became a skilled seamstress. She enjoyed constructing her own wardrobe, making clothes and costumes for family and friends, sewing church vestments, and selling her creations at the Old Mission 4th of July Arts & Crafts Fair.
Paula’s love of art led to her association with the Santa Barbara Museum of Art Docent Council for 37 years. Starting as a provisional docent in 1985, she served as president in 1995-96, and remained a sustaining docent until her retirement in 2022.
Travel was important to Paula. With the docent council she visited museums and historic sites across the US as well as in Europe. She enjoyed visiting family in California and New York, and with her daughters she visited her father’s ancestral home in Sicily.
When she wasn’t traveling, Paula enjoyed all Santa Barbara had to offer: coffee and croissants at Mousse Odile, shopping at the Farmers Market, walking along Hendry’s Beach. Her love of reading included local history. She was a member of the St. Anthony’s Community for over fifty years.
Her children and her grandchildren were her joy! As a mom, she was ever-supportive, a good listener, and very loving.
Paula is survived by her children Anna Kammer (Dan Fallorina), John Kammer, Regina Kammer (Jason Munkres), and her grandchildren Calia and Weston Kammer. A private memorial service will be held in Santa Barbara in October. A memorial service is planned for spring 2023 at the Mauro family plot in St. John Cemetery, Middle Village, New York.
Donations in Paula’s memory can be made to your favorite charity.
Good night, Mom. Lahko noč!