Paula Smith Hamilton, 85
Paula Smith Hamilton, 85, of Acton, died on Sunday, July 26, 2026.
If you met Paula Hamilton, you likely remember the exchange. More colorful than most of us, she brought vitality, opinions, outlandish ideas, creativity, and focus to every interaction every day. She loved nothing more than human connection, never forgetting a detail about someone’s college major, favorite restaurant, face cream, spiritual path, workout regimen, or childhood pet. Her years working as a relationship therapist brought her into the lives of many, and she was at her happiest when engaged in the messy work of finding and keeping human connection. Her most sustaining and fulfilling human connections were with her family, and she had an abundant love for her children, grandchildren, and husband.
Born in a triple decker in Everett, she set out on two paths with equal zeal. One was staying connected to her beloved city of Boston and her childhood roots; the other was leaving all of that behind and exploring the country and the world, discovering how many different ways a human life could be shaped. She lived chapters in Milton as a nurse and young mother with her first husband; Winchester with her beloved husband John, raising her children and running a therapy practice in town; moving cross country to live in Davis, California, for 25 years, exploring the beauty of Carmel, Napa and their beloved Davis; and finally, in Acton, where the natural beauty of the town and its transcendental roots allowed her to connect again with the idea of a larger, spiritual force in our world.
When divorce became more common in the 1970s, Paula became focused on sustaining human connection and couples’ relationships. She explored a variety of approaches to therapy from Gestalt to Imago. While in Davis, she earned a Ph.D. in marital and family therapy. She enjoyed running workshops or working alongside colleagues at sessions for conflicted couples in committed partnerships.
Many things brought her joy, and many brought her outrage — and she loved living at the extremes of the emotional spectrum. Temporary joys, like visiting the fjords in Norway, the hillsides in France, or Shakespeare’s England, made a lasting impact on her; joys that unfolded more slowly, like the joy of seeing her grandchildren grow and her children happy in their adult lives, were a source of pride and sustenance for her as well. Whether reading the latest book on psychology or finding outrage in the day’s news, she was a person of vitality and energy.
While a tragic car accident claimed her life and her husband John’s life, they were so closely connected that it would have been impossible to imagine either of them having to live without the other. Paula is survived by her children Allison Webster (Andy Stromberg) and Pamela Webster (Ray Richardson); her grandchildren Isabelle and Tess Stromberg and Marena and Nalin Richardson; her sister Louise Catazano and her family; a wonderful cohort of friends who enriched her life; and her beloved dog Poppy. The world feels quieter without Paula Hamilton in it, but the countless lives she touched remain immeasurably richer because she was here.
A celebration of life will be scheduled for the fall.
Arrangements are under the care of Acton Funeral Home. To share a memory or offer a condolence, visit concordfuneral.com.
