Hope Because of a Full Heart
In the face of unimaginable loss, Paula Kline has chosen a path of giving. In 2025, she established the HOPE Kline (Imbody) Family Fund at Marion Community Foundation to honor her late husband and two sons, and to provide ongoing support for causes close to their hearts.
The fund supports three areas deeply meaningful to the family: Christian faith-based programs, animal welfare causes, including livestock and the agriculture industry serving Marion County, and alcohol, drug prevention and mental health services.
“Hope” is more than a word in the fund’s name—it is Paula’s guiding light. “That’s what I want the awards to create for others,” she explained. Hope sustained her through the passing of her husband, Michael “Mike” Kline, in early 2025, and their sons, Michael Alen Kline II and Phillip Imbody Kline, years earlier.
Before his passing, Mike worked with Paula to redesign an accessible bedroom he hoped to return to following treatment. Paula now calls it her “hope room,” a daily reminder of his determination and love.
Now, through the HOPE Kline (Imbody) Family Fund, Paula has transformed her family’s legacy into a gift for the community. What might have been only sorrow is now a source of strength and possibility for others.
By choosing hope, Paula ensures that Mike, Michael II, and Phillip will be remembered not only for their lives, but also for the light they continue to bring to Marion County.
