The East Longmeadow High School community is grieving the sudden passing of Paula Zatko, a 2007 graduate remembered by classmates and friends as someone whose gentleness and warmth left a lasting mark on everyone she encountered.
Paula, who has been married to Khuram Shahid since September 2018, built a life dedicated to serving others. She studied at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before going on to work in human services and school psychology across multiple states.
Her career took her from Pennsylvania to Washington State, where she served as a School Psychology Intern at Lake Washington School District in Redmond.
Earlier in her career, she worked with Boys and Girls Clubs of King County in Seattle, and before that, held direct support roles at Strawberry Fields Inc. in State College, Pennsylvania, and Community Services Group in Lititz, Pennsylvania. By every measure, Paula spent her adult years showing up for people who needed support.
A Presence That Could Not Be Overlooked
In a tribute posted to the ELHS Class of 2007 Facebook group, classmates described Paula in terms that went far beyond simple remembrance. They wrote that she had the kind of laugh that stays with you years later, a real, from-the-belly laugh that made everyone around her smile without even trying.
They spoke of eyes that seemed to smile before the rest of her face caught up, and a warmth that made people feel seen and valued just by being near her.
Classmate Alyssa Desilets wrote that Paula was so incredibly kind, always smiling, and genuinely one of the most beautiful souls. Others echoed the same feeling.
Julie Gentile Hinkley noted how young she was, the words carrying the weight that premature loss always brings. Susie Silvestri Barroso offered prayers to her family, calling her a beautiful girl.
What stood out in nearly every comment and tribute was a consistent portrait of someone who did not seek attention but drew it naturally through genuine goodness. Her classmates described her as gentle without being weak, and strong in all the ways that truly matter.
A Life Measured by Its Impact on Others
The tribute from her graduating class posed a question that no one could quite answer: Why is it so often the people who bring the most light and love into the lives of others who leave too soon?
It is the kind of question that grief always raises and rarely resolves. But those who knew Paula seemed to find some grounding in the idea that a life is not measured by how long it lasts but by how deeply it touches others.
By that standard, Paula Zatko lived fully. She chose a path in school psychology and community support, fields where the work is hard, the recognition is modest, and the motivation must come from genuine care. That care defined her professionally and personally.
She grew up in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, graduated with the Spartan Class of 2007, and carried that community with her through every chapter of her life. Now her community carries her.
Condolences continue to pour in from classmates, former colleagues, and friends across the country. She is survived by her husband, Khuram Shahid, and her family.
