October 22, 2025

Former Longtime EveryStep Hospice Volunteer in Mount Ayr Passes Away

Mount Ayr, Iowa  --  A former volunteer who gave her time for more than 14 years to hospice care in EveryStep's Mount Ayr office has passed away.  Paula Fehring of Lenox was 74-years old.  

Paula began volunteering with EveryStep in Mount Ayr after her husband's passing and stayed with them for more than a decade.  Mount Ayr Volunteer Coordinator Angela Dodge shared the following note with staff and fellow volunteers:

"EveryStep Hospice has lost a wonderful volunteer. Paula Fehring from Lenox passed away Sunday morning at Bedford Specialty Care.

Paula was a volunteer for the Mount Ayr team starting in 2008 being trained by Cindy Mitchell.  Paula took her assignments for her patients seriously and often called me to tell me in person how the visits went.  She was willing to see anybody and even willing to ride the trolley with patients when being transferred from one place to another keeping them calm and laughing at her jokes.  Paula was very caring, and I enjoyed her so much.  

Volunteer With EveryStep

Everyone who knew her well would say that she was the “life of the party.”  I only knew her through hospice, but some of her good friends who are also hospice workers and volunteers have told me how much her friends and family admired her wit, humor, and just all-around fun personality. I know she went on a few of our hospice road trips to Des Moines and she kept the car riders in stitches. 

Paula was an art teacher for a while, and I am sure made every student’s day. She married and had triplets, two girls and one boy.  She loved her kids immensely and her grandchildren as well. Paula lost her husband, Jack, 20 years ago of cancer and she lost her son, Nick, just this last April.  Sarah and Kate and their families live close by. 

Paula was a volunteer until 2022 when she started having some memory problems and decided she would give it up.  

The following are some comments that Paula wrote to me about hospice:

• 2019: "It’s a wonderful organization and truly an all-encompassing compassionate caring one! I feel honored to be a volunteer. And to work with professionals, and caring people."
• 2020: "I enjoy giving back to this wonderful organization! I am appreciative of the professionalism and the commitment in always improving and advising us. It’s a privilege to work for EveryStep as a volunteer"
• 2022: "I’m so glad to be a hospice volunteer! I enjoy visiting with patients and I like “paying back” for the wonderful care Jack and I had from hospice! Keep up the wonderful program!"

Paula will be sorely missed by many.

-Angela Dodge"