[Paul Penta]

In a previous thread, Paula Betlem was mentioned along with the sad reports of other steamboaters who have recently passed.

Originally Posted by Carmen

Paula J. Betlem has lost her battle against cancer on January 11th. She was well known as entertainer and choreographer on the steamboats.

Well, if it's ok with y'all, I'll expand a bit.

Paula was amazing. In all the years I've been in the music business, I never met a performer so laid back, yet so talented. If you met her and spoke with her without knowing what she did for a living your last guess would have been "Entertainer".

Ego? Of course she had an ego. You cannot put yourself in front of an audience without a well developed sense of your ability to do so. But she never, ever wore it out in the open. In that sense, she was like a stealth fighter. She was an unassiming presence so it was easy sometimes for her to indulge her penchant for quiet time. But put a spotlight on her and WHAM! Where did THAT come from?

Paula was a total professional. She had all the skills. Singer, dancer, comedienne, actress, choreographer, teacher, friend. And funny? You have no idea. She was an incredible wit. Her laugh was an infectious force. Most people "hear" someone laugh. But in Paula's case, you had to "watch" her laugh because the look on her face and the gleam in her eyes told you that there was something else funny going on. She just hadn't decided yet whether tell you about it.

Paula was a beautiful spirit. She honored our family of entertainers with her presence. To say we grieve over her loss just doesn't quite cut it. Is there a word for "grieve" times 100?

If someday you happen to see any of us who knew her, ask us for a "Paula" story. I guarantee it will be funny. But watch the face of the story teller. All you will see in our eyes will be love. That's the key. Paula was not an entertainer we loved, she was someone we loved who happened to be an entertainer.

God must have needed another angel.