Pauline West Petermann

Pauline was born on November15, 1930 in Wayne County, MS to Harvey and Phoebe West. After graduating from high school, she moved to Jackson, MS to attend Draughns Business College. While working at Stuart C. Irby, she met her husband-to-be, John Winfred Petermann, Jr. They moved to Yazoo City, MS, and began their family. Prior to moving back to Jackson, MS in 1962, Pauline enjoyed growing beautiful flowers, fishing, and rearing her four children. After moving to Jackson, she became very involved in her children’s activities, including Girl Scouts, dance, cheerleading, and sewing for the girls and all of their friends. After her children started high school, she began her career working at Baptist Hospital in Admissions, and thoroughly enjoyed meeting new people everyday. After leaving Baptist Hospital, she started work at Packard Electric, and retired from General Motors after many years of service.

She was fondly known as “Momma” to her children and “Granny” to her grandchildren as well as their friends and neighbors. Pauline had such a kind heart, and it was not uncharacteristic to hear that she had taken in a stray cat or two- they had quite a knack for finding her, and she enjoyed their company. Her grandchildren will cherish the many memories they have of going to “Granny and Granddaddy’s” to play in the yard, to learn how to cook and garden, and to spend time with all of their cousins. She loved to cook, and her grandchildren’s favorite meals were “Granny’s Spaghetti” and mashed potatoes, which she always made from scratch. Pauline had what most would call a ‘green thumb’ and her garden was always full of beautiful plants and flowers, and she enjoyed sharing those flowers with the many little hands that walked past her yard.

She was formerly a member of Westminister Presbyterian Church in Jackson and has attended Christ United Methodist Church for the past several years.

She was a devoted caregiver to her husband for 16 years until his death in 2000. She was loved not only by her family, but also by many close friends and neighbors, and she will be dearly missed.

Survivors are children: Patricia Strong and husband Bob, of Jackson, MS, Luticia Johnson of Brandon, MS, Mary Margaret Herzog of Bristol, TN, and John Frank Petermann of Clinton, MS; sister Sue Rodriguez of Brandon, MS, brothers Clifford West of Waynesboro, MS, and Albert West, of Grand Bay, AL; fourteen grandchildren: Robert Strong of Ridgeland, MS, William Strong of Hattiesburg, MS, Mary Susanna Strong of Atlanta, GA, Phoebe Strong of Hattiesburg, MS, Luke Strong of Jackson, MS, Paul Strong of Jackson, MS, Scott Johnson of Brandon, MS, Dustin Johnson of Brandon, MS, John Herzog, Jr., of Leland, MS, Matthew Herzog of Oxford, MS, David Herzog of Oxford, MS, Daniel Herzog of Oxford, MS, and Mark Herzog of

Durham, NC, Joseph Petermann of Oklahoma; and 1 great-granddaughter, Victoria Swayze Petermann of Brandon, MS. She is also survived by a large extended family, whom she loved very much. She was preceded in death by husband, John Winfred Petermann, Jr., parents, Harvey and Phoebe West, and sister, Effie Jane DeSantis.

Visitation will be held at Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home on Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, MS, beginning at 1 o’clock pm Monday January 16, with services following at 3 o’clock pm. Burial will be at Natchez Trace Memorial Park on Highway 51, Ridgeland, MS, immediately following the service. Online guestbook www.wrightferguson.com

Memorials may be made to French Camp Academy, One Fine Way, French Camp, MS 39745 or to Christ United Methodist Church Missions or Youth Ministry, 6000 Old Canton Rd., Jackson, MS 39211 (www.ChristUnitedJxn.org).