Paula lived a life of kindness.

We’d love nothing more than to honor Paula’s memory while paying it forward and leaving the world a better, kinder place for us all.

Our Inspiration, The Backstory

During the Christmas season of 2014, Paula emailed her kids and asked us, in lieu of gifts, for this:

Pay it forward.  And by that I mean, be kind and considerate.  Open, or hold open, a door for someone; wish someone a good day; let someone with an item or two cut in front of you on a checkout line; help someone pick up something they've dropped; and before you say something negative to someone, or about someone, bite your tongue.  And smile, just SMILE. That could be all someone needs to make their day a brighter one. 

Be careful though, it could become contagious and snowball throughout mankind and make us all a slightly more humble and accepting world.  Now wouldn't that be awesome!!

Paula always inspired her kids to be kind and caring, but this simple holiday wish spurred a series of kind acts that we shared with her which touched her heart. She never needed or asked for much, but she deeply valued being kind and considerate and always wished to make the world a better place.

We could think of no better way to honor her and her values than to spread love and kindness through the people who’s lives she touched.

If you’re inclined, please do something kind when nobody is watching or expecting it. Share your acts of kindness below to inspire others and honor Paula’s memory.

Stories of Generosity

Ideas to Pay it Forward

Being kind doesn’t have to cost a lot - or anything!

Here are some ideas to consider if you’re inclined to pay it forward.

Free and Easy!

  • Hold a door open for someone

  • Let someone with a few items cut ahead of you in line

  • Give up your seat on a bus or train

  • Compliment a stranger sincerely

  • Write a handwritten note to someone

  • Call a relative just to say you're thinking of them

  • Let someone merge in traffic with a wave, not a honk

  • Help someone carry something heavy

  • Shovel or sweep a neighbor's walkway

  • Really listen to someone without checking your phone

  • Forgive a small grudge you've been holding

  • Leave an encouraging comment for someone doing hard work publicly

  • Offer your seat, an umbrella, or parking spot

  • Smile at someone who looks like they're having a rough day

  • Volunteer an hour at a shelter, food pantry, or hospital

  • Donate blood

  • Pick up trash on a walk (bonus points for it being on the beach!)

  • Pass along a book you loved

  • Introduce two people who'd benefit from knowing each other

If you have a few dollars to spare:

  • Pay for the coffee or meal of the person behind you in line

  • Leave a generous tip for someone in service work

  • Cover a stranger's parking meter or toll

  • Buy a meal for someone

  • Leave a gift card for a nurse, teacher, or first responder

  • Donate to a cause the recipient cares about, in their name

  • Buy extra groceries or school supplies and donate them

  • Sponsor a kid's sports registration or class trip fee anonymously

About Paula

Paula Joan (Bossung) Raynor, of Westhampton Beach, passed away peacefully on September 15, 2026, at the age of 70.

Paula was born to Jane and Robert "Bob" Bossung in Sumter, South Carolina, on February 27, 1956, while her father was serving in the U.S. Air Force. She jokingly referred to herself as an "Air Force brat," although her time in South Carolina was relatively short. Her family soon returned home to Long Island, where Paula and her siblings grew up.

Paula loved reminiscing about growing up on Paynes Lane in East Quogue and sharing fun stories of her years spent surrounded by family and friends there. She attended East Quogue and Westhampton Beach schools, where some of her fondest memories included her years on the gymnastics team.

After attending college, Paula was drawn back home to Long Island and eventually joined her family's real estate business, Hampton Properties. She spent over 45 years there, becoming the backbone of the business side of the company. True to her nature, she was never one to seek the spotlight, but was always a strong guiding force behind the scenes. For Paula, work and family were always intertwined. Her family was her office, and her office was her family. It truly was her second home, filled with many of the people she loved most.

If Paula wasn't at "the office," there was a good chance she was at her other happy place - the beach. She spent countless summer days at Swordfish Beach Club alongside her family and closest friends. Her love of sun, sand and salt air followed her wherever she went, including trips to Florida and St. Thomas, where her parents once had a home and where she loved to visit over the years.

In her “thirtysomething” years, Paula found a somewhat unexpected, cherished tradition - a Wednesday night bowling league in Westhampton with some of her best friends. The bowling may have been secondary to the friendships, laughter and welcome break from raising their families, but those Wednesday nights were some of Paula’s favorite memories. These friendships lasted for decades, carrying them all through countless chapters of life together.

Paula had a kind and generous spirit. She was genuine, unpretentious and as real as they came. She was a fiercely loyal friend, a trusted confidante and someone who always showed up for the people she loved, especially her children. She found happiness in life's simple pleasures: the pets she loved over the years, curling up with a good book, a warm cup of coffee (with two sugars and milk), a sunny day on the beach with just enough of a breeze, and sharing a smile, a story or a laugh with someone she loved. More than anything, Paula treasured her family and close friends. They were her world. She also adored being a grandmother. Whether supporting Makayla from the sidelines of her softball games or watching Hayden ski or figure skate, she was their biggest cheerleader, just as she was for her own kids as they were growing up.

She is survived by her three children, Melissa Raynor (Eric Johnson), Megan Iarocci (Mike), and Kevin Raynor; her two beloved granddaughters, Makayla Iarocci and Hayden Johnson; her sister, Kathy Stachnik (Michael); her brother, Bob Bossung (Maggie); her sister-in-law, Allie Bossung; her many nieces, nephews and their families, and her very dear friends and their children who were her chosen family.

Paula was predeceased by her parents, Jane and Robert Bossung, and her brother, Tom Bossung, as well as many beloved aunts, uncles, close friends and four-legged companions who went before her. We are certain there was quite a welcoming committee waiting for her on the other side.

A visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 23, from 4:00-8:00 p.m., with services on Thursday, September 24, at 11:00 a.m. at Rothwell Werner Funeral Home in Westhampton Beach.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The ALS Association in her memory. In keeping with Paula's spirit, those wishing to honor her are also encouraged to pay it forward through random acts of kindness, as she so often did. Hold a door open for someone, help someone in need, or simply share a smile to brighten someone's day. For ideas or to share an act of kindness done in her honor, please visit www.PayitForwardforPaula.com.