Pauline Lauritz Sanford

Pauline was born in Spickard, Missouri, January 27, 1926 to proud parents Anna Whimple Steen and Louis Lauritz Steen. Her Father, a first generation American of Norwegian decent, was a Retail Salesman who traveled and her Mom a linotype setter for the newspaper. At the age of 10, with her four siblings Helen, Martha, Rosemary and Ben they moved to Marshalltown, Iowa. After Polly graduated from High School she went to nursing school, but she met and fell in love with LT. Robert F. Richardson, they were married June 23, 1945, and soon transferred to Rapid City South Dakota. On June 21, 1947 they became proud parents of Paula Lauritz Richardson. Shortly after her birth they were again transferred to Spokane Air Force Base, Spokane Washington. Washington. A few short months later on Roberts’s last mission for the US Air Force, his B29 crashed in Florida and he was killed.

A heartbroken Polly moved to El Centro, CA where her parents were now living. There she met Joseph Loyd Love, the son of the owner of a local grocery store, Loves Market. JL as most people called him swept Polly off her feet. They were married in January 1949. Polly and JL had two more daughters Deborah Ann and Peggy Jo Love. When Peggy Jo was only 6 months old Polly opened a children’s clothing store called Buttons and Bows. Polly became a downtown girl thriving in the business community and active in Women’s Ten Thousand Club, Soroptimist and Los Vigilantes. She owned and operated her store for 13 years. She was ahead of her time; most women in the 50’S were stay at home Moms. Also a head of her time she divorced JL in 1966.

In 1972 she was offered a job in Carlsbad, California, managing a Junior Retail store, Sweetbriar in the new Carlsbad Mall. While working for Sweetbriar she met Robert Francis Sanford, as you might guess by now, she fell in love and married him. They married Jan 1973. He was “her Bob.” He was a produce broker for The Great A&P Tea Company. They traveled up and down the sate of California and Arizona with the seasons enjoying themselves along the way. They had fourteen happy years together until Bob’s death in 1987 from complications of cancer.

Putting her life back on track she moved back to Carlsbad to be closer to her children. By now she had had settled into her life as a retired woman who enjoyed the simple pleasures of entertaining her many grandchildren. Oh, yes she had her evenings out with her girlfriends to hear local music and enjoy a cocktail and a good story too. She kept busy, always finding a new plant to plant, a grandchild to take here or there, maybe just time calling friends to say hello and discuss the latest baseball or basketball scores.

One of Polly’s biggest hobbies was moving. In the past 10 years, she moved from Carlsbad to Sun City, Sun City to Santa Barbra and then back to Sun City where she moved a few more times. In the last year she had moved to Indian Wells, where she lived with her daughter Paula and husband Bob. In the last 2 weeks of her life Polly moved once more to her final stop back to Santa Barbara to Sarah’s House under the hospice care and the loving hands of caregivers and her family.

Polly was a force to be reckoned with. She was sweet, strong, smart, charming, and pretty funny and she loved to laugh. She enjoyed her family and ruled with a gentle hand. She could also, in her own words, be a B____, when she needed to get things done her way. She especially loved the company of men and could turn on the charm when a man entered the room. Even up until the last few days of her life she flirted shamelessly which truly made us all laugh.

“POLLY” or as all her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and great great grand children new her as MOM. She taught us life lessons, she taught us to be good, to love our family, to be earnest, to tell the truth, to be kind, that working hard won’t kill you that every person mattered, to be proud of yourself and so much more. She left a legacy of a devoted and loving family.

In order of appearance:

Rosemary Miller her Favorite Sister

Ben Steen her Favorite Brother

Her Favorite Daughters:

Paula Lauritz Russel and husband Bob Mejia

Deborah Ann Love

Peggy Jo Love

Her Favorite Grandchildren:

Reichel Lauritz Monteros

Rozlynn Love Monteros

Michael Paul Fornasero

Anthony Joseph Fornasero

Her Favorite Great Granchildren:

Ashleigh Lauritz Arias

Alexzandra Love Guardado

Amanda Jo Guardado

Lauren Micaela Camarena

Taylor Nicole Camarena

Giovanni Alexander Camarena

Morgan Joseph Lopez

Mia Michelle Gonzalez

Her Favorite Great Great Grandchildren

Skyleigh Lauritz Arias

Adam Preston Arias

Mason Joseph Vasquez

Her Dog Brunno

And all her many friends she made along the way.

We Love you and miss you Mom!!

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