Obituaries

Marie Iris Paulik

Marie Iris Paulik died peacefully April 20, 2013, in East Marion, N.Y.

She was born Dec. 3, 1931, in College Point, Queens, to Elsie and Mike Wild. She grew up in College Point and attended St. Fidelis School and St. Agnes Academic High School. She later married Robert Reilly and moved to Parsippany, N.J., where she resided for 14 years.

Her 20-year marriage to Robert Reilly ended in divorce. She subsequently married John Flood and moved to Bernardsville, N.J., where she and Mr. Flood opened Bernard’s Decorating in 1969. Iris continued to run the business after Mr. Flood’s death in 1981.

Iris married Edward Paulik in 1988, developed a strong attachment to and love for the North Fork and moved with Mr. Paulik to East Marion after her retirement.

Iris loved to work with customers of her decorating business and was a well-known and respected interior decorator. She was devoted to her family and especially loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

After she retired from her business, she indulged her love of babies by creating hundreds of crocheted baby blankets, hats and booties for various hospital neonatal units. At Christmas, her signature red-and-white sets were particularly in demand by the mothers and nursing staffs.

Iris was predeceased by her husband Edward Paulik, her son-in-law Bob Lapen and her granddaughter Beth Lapen. She is survived by her sister, Elsie Moss, and her brother, Michael Wild, and his wife, Judy, of Cape Coral, Fla.; her daughters, Kathleen Lapen of Helena, Mont., Patricia Reilly Hovey and her husband, Robert, of Southold, N.Y., Linda Blowney and her husband, Steven, of Philadelphia, Pa., and her son, Robert Reilly Jr., and his wife, Arlene, of Long Valley, N.J.; her grandchildren Daniel Lapen, Lora Bronson, Paul Lapen, Kate Hovey Mulligan, Dana Hovey, Timothy Reilly, Christine Reilly and Mike Reilly; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Arrangements were handled by Coster-Heppner Funeral Home in Cutchogue. Interment was private.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to East End Hospice (eeh.org/don.html) or Project Linus (projectlinus.org/donations).

This is a paid notice.