Paula Jean Kelso, 81, of Waxahachie died Monday, October 4, 2021, in a Mansfield hospital. A funeral service will be held at noon on Monday, October 11, 2021, at the Bailey Howard Funeral Home Chapel in Clyde.  Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until service time at the funeral home on Monday.  Graveside services will be at 1:00 p.m. at the Kendrick Cemetery in Denton Valley, in Callahan County.

Paula was born May 5, 1940, in Denton Valley, Callahan County, to George Paul Allen and Madie Irene (Jones) Allen Phillips. She graduated from Abilene High School. She married Donald Ray Kelso at her parent's home in Abilene on June 8, 1957. They moved to Waxahachie from Irving in 1981. She retired from Bank of America.  Paula was a member of the Sardis Lone Elm Baptist Church.

She is survived by her mother, Madie Irene (Jones) Phillips of Hawley; two daughters, Donna Pauline Kelso of Abilene and Jeanna Dawn Kelso Smith and husband Joel of Ennis; brother, Doyle Allen of Hawley; granddaughter, Kristadawn Westbrook and husband Jacob of Midlothian; five great grandchildren, Cameron Nickolas Paul Green, Lindsey Conn, Hadyn Skilar Westbrook, Brylie Marie Westbrook and Landyn Ryann Westbrook.

Paula was preceded in death by her father, George Paul Allen; her husband, Donald Ray Kelso in 2019; and her son, Donald Gene Kelso in 2020.