Roma was born Rose Marie Paulsen on May 5th, 1933 in San Francisco, CA to Floyd Paulsen and Delia Pischke Paulsen but her name was legally changed to Roma in 1951. She was a 1951 graduate of Oregon City High School in Oregon City, OR. Graduating from the Emanuel Hospital School of Nursing in Portland, OR in 1954, Roma's 48-year career as a Registered Nurse traversed the country from Oregon, to Ohio, Connecticut to Michigan, but her most memorable and cherished years were those spent at the Saline Community Hospital in Saline, MI where she was lead recovery room nurse for many of those years and where she made many cherished friends and memories.

Roma met the love of her life, James William Scotton on a blind date and the two were married on June 13th, 1954 in The Dalles, Oregon. After his service in the Army, Jim graduated from Portland State University in 1956 with a BA in Business Economics and the young family was on the move. The Scottons left Oregon in 1960 and headed north, settling in Bellevue, WA for a short time before moving to Berea, OH. From there the family moved to Westport, CT and in 1970 Saline, MI became home. In 2002, Roma and Jim moved to Greenwood, SC for a time before their final move in 2005 to Maryville, TN where they lived together until Jim's death in 2009. In 2016 Roma was moved to Vashon Island, WA to live with her daughter and her family, which is where she remained until her death.

Roma was predeceased by her parents, Floyd Paulsen and Delia Paulsen Hyle, her stepfather, Lester Hyle, her brother Dexter (Bucky) Paulsen and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. She is survived by her daughter Shelley (Gary) Headley of Vashon Island, WA, grandchildren Tristan and Brendan Carbery and step-grandson Justin Headley, all of Vashon Island, and step-granddaughter Christine Headley (Paul Hunt) and step-great grandson, Owen Hunt of Pt. Townsend, WA. Also surviving her is her son Andrew Scotton and grandson Jared of Hazel Park, MI, granddaughter Rachel Scotton (Ken Conley) and great-granddaughter Nora of Clawson, MI, grandsons Drew Scotton of Livonia, MI and Matthew Scotton of Ypsilanti, MI. Son Daniel (Sherry) Scotton, grandson Noah and great-grandson Ryan, all of Waterville, OH also survive Roma, as does her granddaughter Laura (Jamison) Gibson and great-grandchildren Elizabeth and Harrison, all of Knoxville, TN. Roma is also survived by a nephew, Peter (Wendy) Paulsen of Bogart, GA, their children Ingrid and Eric and their children.

Roma and Jim had a true and abiding, lifelong faith in Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives and they were devoted to their church and the Lutheran ministry everywhere they set down roots. After a lifetime of service to others, Roma is back in the loving arms of her husband, Jim and is once again surrounded by God's true light where she has been born anew and has been made an heir of eternal life.