Faya Ife' Paul

March 16, 1977 - June 14, 2021

Faya Ifê Major Paul was born in historic Selma, Alabama, on March 16, 1977. She was the daughter of Raymond Major and Fannie (Major) McKenzie. She departed this life on June 14, 2021, while performing work-related duties in her home office in McDonough, GA. Ifê, as she was affectionately known by her family, was reared in a godly family and gave her life to Christ at an early age. She was christened and became a member of Northern Heights Presbyterian Church in Selma, Alabama. She attended several churches in McDonough, GA, including McDonough Presbyterian Church and Shiloh Baptist Church. Ifê remained true to her faith as she continuously demonstrated compassion, love, respect, and generosity to all who crossed her path. Her ministry was serving and supporting others. She had a special place in her heart for children in need. Through her ministry, she gave some of the best, most honest advice, and counsel to those who sought it from her. Ifê wore many hats and was cherished by so many. She had a way of making everyone feel important, special, and loved. Ifê, which means love, was her family’s special gift from God. Fannie, her mother, describes her as always being a happy child, and shares that “as a baby, she would always wake up smiling.” To Raymond, her father, she was always “the apple” of his eye and was truly a “daddy’s girl”. To Mosi, her brother, she was confidante and second mother. One of her aunt’s affectionately referred to her as, “our fixer”. She was also her cousins go-to person. Her mother-in-love, Marjorie, called her, “my girl”. Ifê met the love of her life, Andrew Paul, a native of Spanish Town, Jamaica, during the Spring of 2007. They fell in love and were married in Jonesboro, Georgia. They shared a genuine and unique bond of love and respect and were devoted to each other for fourteen years. Additionally, when she and Andrew married, his family became her family. Ifê was blessed to become a mother for the first time when her first daughter, Navilla, came into her life. One of her proudest moments was witnessing Navilla’s commencement from Ifê’s beloved alma mater, Tuskegee University. Her second blessing of motherhood was the birth of her second daughter, Neema. Ifê told her mother that Neema was her special gift from God as she was born prematurely and faced medical challenges. Despite these challenges early on, Neema thrived and Ifê reveled in watching her grow and spending time with her. Her first priority was always her family. She was committed to her children and nurtured, loved, and bonded with them until her earthly departure. Ifê received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Mathematics Education from Tuskegee University, Master’s Degree in Secondary Mathematics Education from Alabama State University, and an Educational Specialist and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Argosy University. She earned numerous additional certifications across several disciplines. Some of those include Administration and Supervision, Gifted in Field, and Teacher Support Specialist. She also conducted numerous national, state, and local trainings in the areas of Coordinating School Support, Instructional Leadership, Accountability, Digital Classroom, Marzano, Data Teams, Rigor, Electronic Evaluation Software, etc. Ifê was a Diamond Life member of Delta Sigma Theta. After graduating from Tuskegee University with a B.S. in Mathematics Education in 2004, Ifê was employed as a mathematics teacher at Selma High School (her alma mater) in her hometown of Selma, Alabama. After working at Selma High School for four years as a math teacher, she made the decision to move to Georgia where she was employed by the Clayton County School System. During her tenure there, she taught math for three years at Mundy’s Mill High School and served for two years as Mathematics Instructional Coach and Testing Coordinator at Lovejoy Middle School. It was in 2007, in the Clayton County School System, when she began her deep dive into school improvement work. Her work led to a new assignment, District Level K-12 Instructional Facilitator for School Improvement, for the remainder of her tenure with the Clayton County School System. In 2012, Ifê was recruited by the Atlanta Public Schools. She served in several capacities at Maynard Jackson High School until 2017. Specifically, during her employment, she worked as a mathematics coach, principal of a small school, and as an assistant principal. Her work involved facilitating activities and trainings for site-based stakeholders that led to increases in mathematics scores, the School Graduation Rate, and the College and Career Readiness Performance Index (CCRPI). She was also especially proud of being instrumental in successfully facilitating Atlanta Public Schools’ first cohort of students who earned an Associate Degree in Pre-Engineering. At the time of her untimely departure, Ifê worked on behalf of children in her post as the Director of School and District Effectiveness Division of the Office of School Improvement for the Georgia State Department of Education, where she led School Improvement, Professional Development, and Alternative Education Programs. Ifê’s educational career was influenced by the work that she did to help low-income students at McRae Learning Center in Selma, Alabama. To that end, during summer breaks when she was a student at Tuskegee University, she tutored and taught math to struggling elementary students. Her focus on serving children continued throughout her educational career. Ifê was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Jamesand Hattie Inez Major; her maternal grandparents, Sam and Ola Mae Sanders; and her father-in-love, William Coleman. Although departed, Ifê lives in the heart and memory of her loved ones: Ifê’s legacy of love includes her husband, Andrew Paul, McDonough, GA; two daughters, Navilla Paul and Fanikia Neema Paul, McDonough, GA; father, Raymond Major, McDonough, GA; mother, Fannie (Bobby) McKenzie, McDonough, GA; one brother, Mosi Omar Major, Mableton, GA; two step-brothers, Brandon McKenzie, Colorado Springs, CO, and Doug McKenzie, Montgomery, AL; mother-in-love, Marjorie Lawrence, Fort Lauderdale, FL; three brothers-in-law, Randy Coleman, McDonough, GA; Junior Coleman, Spanish Town, Jamaica; and Howard Lawes, Los Angeles, CA; three sisters-in-law, Collen (Steve) Miller and Terrian Coleman (Khani Bell), Kingston, Jamaica; and Rosie Marie Sores, Hamilton, Bermuda; a village of 20 aunts and uncles, over 50 cousins, one god-daughter, Amber Courtland, and a host of other extended relatives and friends. Ifê shared a special relationship with her cousins Malika, Kindaka, Ainka, James Jr. (J.J.), Willie (Boo), Angie, Thomas, Greg, Gleevia, Kareem, Mesfyn, Phaer, Kioka (Kiki), Tameka (Pumpkin), Tashira, Melvin, Vernon, Charles (Boomer), Quinnette, Afton, Seneca, Tiffine, Shaunterria, Charles, C.J., Gloria, Kim, Tony,Chris, Anthony, JC, William (Pee-Wee),and Lance. Though she did not have any sisters by birth, we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge her special sisters of over 35 years, Marisa (Carvell) Steele Murphy and Rasheeda (Carlos) Salaam Tolbert, as well as, special friends and co-workers Erica DeVaughn, Kimberley Latchman, Arlena Edmunds and her sisters and brothers in love in the Clayton County School System, Maynard Jackson High School, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. To those who knew her and loved her, Ifê was and will always be our special gift from God. We thank God for the privilege of being able to call her “wife”, “mother”, “daughter”, “sister”, “family” “soror”, and “friend”. We are thankful for the privilege of having had Ifê in our lives.