Pauline C. Garduno

Pauline was preceded in death by her loving husband, Manuel, in 2011, after 59 years of marriage. Following Manuel’s passing Pauline slowly developed dementia and was lovingly cared for by her sons Marty and Thomas. Pauline was the beloved mother of nine children: Thomas Garduno, Monica Lisi (Stephen), Anthony Garduno (Jessica), Christina Smieja (Tom), Bernie Garduno (Cheryl), Paul Garduno (Lynn), Lee Garduno (Diane, deceased), Marty Garduno, and Marcus Garduno. Pauline was blessed with twenty grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren, and many nephews and nieces.

Pauline was also preceded in death by her sisters, Bertha (baby) Mabel Federico and Ann Herzog and her brothers, David and Richard Wilson. She was also preceded in death by her daughter-in-law, Diane Garduno, and grandson, Stephen Scott Lisi, Jr. She is survived by her sister, Josephine Lara and her brother, James Wilson.

Pauline was born to parents, Richard and Josephine Wilson on April 22, 1932 in Brodhead Camp, Colorado, a coal mining community. Pauline spent her formative years in near-by Aguilar, Colorado where she would meet her future husband Manuel. Pauline graduated from Aguilar High School in 1950 as the class valedictorian. She began taking courses at Trinidad Junior College while Manuel graduated high school in 1951 and joined the Air Force. Pauline decided to postpone college and married Manuel on July 12, 1952. Together they began to raise a family and travel around the world. Over the next twenty years, Pauline became a stay-at-home mother as the family grew and made many new homes in Carswell AFB, Texas, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, George AFB, California, Taegu Army Post, Republic of Korea, Beale AFB, California, Moron AFB (Sevilla), Spain, Lockbourne AFB (now Rickenbacker), Ohio, Aguilar, Colorado, and Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan.

Following Manuel’s Air Force retirement in 1971, the family moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado. In 1972, Pauline began working as a cashier at Walgreens in the newly opened Citadel Mall where she worked for twenty years and retired in 1992. Pauline volunteered at Holy Apostles Catholic Church as Lay Eucharistic Minister. Pauline was a big Bronco fan, greatly enjoyed gardening, crafting, sewing and volunteered her skills to a sewing group that made and donated baby blankets for critical care infants at local hospitals. Pauline’s children will remember her as a loving mother and she will be dearly missed.

No public services are currently scheduled. The family will plan a celebration of life at a later date.