Paula Powers

Paula Powers of  Raleigh, departed this life on Thursday, December 4, 2025. 

Paula Beth Powers (Dinoi) was born in Worcester, MA on August 15th 1951. Paula inherited her name from her grandmother Pauline Buono Dinoi born in Bari Italy who immigrated to the states in 1901.

Paula graduated from Burncoat Street Junior High School in 1969.  She then received her certifications in Hairstyling and Cosmetology.  She was a very accomplished Hairstylist and was given the New Bedford Cosmetologist Award. Paula earned the LaBaron Hair Dressing Academy Achievement Award in 1977. On January 31, 1977 she was given an Excellence Award in the Student Hair Styling Contest at the annual state seminar and trade show held at Copley Plaza in Boston Massachusetts.

Prior to that she was a swimming teacher at the YMCA where she held private and public lessons while funding her educational career in cosmetology. Throughout her life she resided in Massachusetts, California -Where she worked in the fashion industry and utilized her talents with acrylic painting finding most of her inspirations from nature and Toulouse Lautrec. She resided in South Carolina alongside her daughter Lily and sister Deborah where she worked at Trade Secret and Regis Hairstyling and finally ended up living in North Carolina with her daughter Chelsea and family when she finally retired.

Paula is survived by her daughter, Chelsea Harrington, her grandson, Gabriel, and her husband, Timothy Harrington.  Additional surviving relatives include her brother, Raymond Dinoi, his wife Debra Dinoi, and her sister Deborah Moody.  Paula was predeceased by her daughter, Lily Powers who died in 2020.

As a gifted and creative cosmetologist, her pride and joy came when she ran her own Hair Parlour within her home on Cape Cod for thirty years.  She was engaging and magnetic.  Her business attracted locals as well as clientele from “over the bridge” to her little shop on the Cape (Marstons Mills, MA).  Her outgoing personality and creative talent captivated folks from all over Cape Cod for a cup of coffee and a new “do”.  From prestigious clients at the courthouse to creating a wedding or prom look - word of mouth got out that Paula was the woman you needed to see.  Her vigor for life, tenacity and independent spirit carried her through many of life’s challenges. Her sense of humour and thoughts on the idiosyncrasies and absurdities of life stayed with the people she met. Her love of cooking and strong will to feed people was as humorous as it was satiating. She valued her independence and long term relationships with people. She exuded warmth and kindness to individuals in the general public and was always willing to offer a joke and a laugh to brighten the day. 

She will be dearly missed by those who knew and loved her.

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