Obituary of Paula M. Rahders

Paula M. Rahders Paula Rahders was born October 31, 1951 to Patricia and James Rahders in Minneapolis, Minnesota; she died following an arduous struggle with cancer on June 24, 2016. She will be remembered for her personal grace, her stunning intelligence, her determination, and her beaming smile. Paula began studying dance as a small child at Andahazy Dance School. When she was 19 she began study with noted modern dancer and choreographer Margret Dietz, and apprenticed with her in Margret’s dance company, Choreogram, at St. Benedict’s University. As a choreographer and dancer Paula was a co-founder of Spira, A Company of Dancers, working in Portland, Oregon. Dance, and the space it took shape within, became a life-long means of interpreting the world for Paula. Her roots in the German Expressionist school of dance led her to an artistic style that embraced emotional depth along with intellectual concept and connection to the real world. Even when she was not working in dance performance, Paula sought ways to manifest art in everyday life, using intentional gesture in mundane situations to express herself in what she termed “street dance.” Her keen intellect also embraced science, physics in particular, and she spent her reading time exploring a wide variety of research and cultural topics. Paula’s work included years at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and Kowalski’s Market. She made many friends and touched the lives of her co-workers in both places. As a mother to her daughter Helena, Paula was kind and extremely generous, as well as deliberate and thoughtful in her parenting style. Her daughter and nieces benefited from her discussions and example of being an artist and a woman. Paula loved the time she spent as a caregiver for her two grandchildren, engaging with their thoughts and ideas, and enjoying their company. Paula was preceded in death by her parents; she is survived by daughter Helena Ruf (Daniel), companion Donna Dralle, grandchildren Sebastian and Annika Ruf, brother Richard Rahders (Marcella Laddon), sister Judith Catterall (David Harrington), nieces Lisa Catterall (Tina Pendleton) and Sonya Rahders, and her friend Mags David. She will be honored in a service at the Lyndale Park Peace and Rock Garden by Lake Harriet at 1:00 pm on Thursday, July 7, 2016 (4124 Roseway Rd.). Paula’s family extends their heartfelt thanks to the doctors, nurses, and other staff at Minnesota Oncology, the oncology unit at Fairview Southdale Hospital, and Fairview Hospice who cared for her during her illness. Memorials to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota, the American Cancer Society, or Fairview Home Care and Hospice (Minneapolis).