Paula Sikes Rummage

Paula Jo Sikes Rummage, devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, servant leader, and friend, joyfully embraced the arms of our Lord on January 7, 2026, at her home in Brentwood, Tennessee.

Born in Salisbury, North Carolina, on September 24, 1957, to Paul Edward and Weaver Jo Tenpenny Sikes, she grew up in North Carolina and Birmingham, Alabama, before moving to Nashville to attend David Lipscomb College, where she majored in accounting and minored in chemistry and earned a Bachelor’s degree. While at Lipscomb, she met Ronnie, who became her husband of forty-five years. She worked in public accounting, in the boating industry at Stratos Boats and Outboard Marine Corporation, and most recently for the last two decades at Brookdale Senior Living, where she worked as a financial analyst and retired in June 2025 from the role of East Divisional Director of Operations, Brookdale at Home.

She was a faithful and devoted wife. She and Ronnie enjoyed traveling, walking, and living daily life together. She was the most wonderful mom. She steadfastly poured into Sarah and Ryan all her days, constantly coaching, edifying, and unconditionally supporting them as they learned to shine their lights into their workplaces and raise their children to love the Lord. She was the best Grammy - always up for an adventure, including serving as an impromptu midwife for a grandson’s delivery - and loved reading, playing, singing, and cooking with her grandchildren. She loved decorating for the holidays and entertaining - wanting everyone to feel welcome in her home. She delighted in her husband, family, and all she ministered to but cherished her close walk with the Lord the most.

Tirelessly using her talents for the glory of God, she served faithfully as an elder’s wife, co-chair of Global Missions, and as a financial coach assisting individuals and families to encourage budgeting and financial security, all of these roles at Harpeth Hills Church Christ, where she worshipped and served for almost fifty years. At work, at church, and with her family, she was a trusted friend, wise confidante, and prayer warrior for so many, listening, encouraging, and pointing others to Jesus. It is impossible to know her full impact on furthering the Kingdom.

Always busy and joyful, her only hobbies were serving and connecting with people. Her memorable, infectious laugh, warm, caring spirit, calm but direct speech, and strong determination combined to make her the effective wife, Mom, Grammy, daughter, sister, loved friend, and leader that she was. She took time for people, poured into them, and just made them better people for having been associated with her. She was singular, extraordinary, memorable, and fiercely loyal to her friends and family. Her legacy is ongoing and lives on in each of us.

She is survived by husband Ronnie, children Sarah (Seth) Neller and Ryan (Claire) Rummage, grandchildren Paul, Jack, and Henry Neller and Sikes, Reid, and Sally Rummage, mother-in-law Anne Bryant, aunt Henrietta Barker, siblings Geoffrey (Joanna) Sikes, Sarah (Mike) Hooten, and Nathan (Wendy) Sikes, nieces and nephews Paul Sikes, John (Sara) Hooten, Laura Sikes, and Jim Hooten, step mother-in-law Laura Rummage, and step sister-in-law Nelia Gibson.

Visitation will be at Harpeth Hills Church of Christ on Sunday from 5-7pm and Monday 930-11am. Funeral will be at 11am at Harpeth Hills with burial at Williamson Memorial.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Harpeth Hills Global Missions and Good Samaritan funds to further the ministries that she loved so well.