Pauline Webb

Pauline was born January 25, 1910 in the little town of Caldwell, Kansas. She was the 6th of 10 children born to Henry Schmidt and Gertrude Metzinger. Her siblings were: Leo, Carl, Irvin, Loretta, Teresa, Marie, Lawrence, Harry, and Robert. Pauline was raised on the wheat farm where she was born. Work on the farm was very difficult, but they all worked together to make it a success. She never really enjoyed the outdoor chores, or the animals, so her mother allowed her to stay inside and help her with the cooking and cleaning. During the harvest season, they also employed several hired hands. It wasn’t unusual for her to have to have 13 loaves of bread made and in the pans, rising, before she left for school in the morning.She attended Caldwell High School, graduating in 1928 with a class of only 21 students. While in High School, Cara Nome Cosmetics came to the school and chose her to be a model for their beauty products. She had also taught herself to sew and made beautiful, stylish clothes for her and her mother. After graduation she worked being a Stenographer (using Shorthand), and as a Telephone Operator. At this time, her sisters Loretta and Teresa were off to St. Francis School of nursing in Wichita and Pauline decided to make a trip to visit them. The handsome bus driver that flirted with her (RL Conover Webb) eventually became her husband. They had four children together: Marjorie Carolyn, Robert Charles, Mary Charlotte, and Margaret Colleen. They decided to make their home in Pueblo, Colorado, where her sister Loretta and family had already settled. Pauline and RL’s first home was on Evans Place. During this time they owned their own business, Accurate Weather-Stripping. Pauline was employed for a short time at the J C Penny’s Company as a seamstress making draperies. During the employment interview they had her sew a straight seam the length of the drapes. Afterwards they said they had never seen anyone who could sew a seam so straight and immediately hired her. Pauline continued making hers and the children’s clothes, played bridge with her girlfriends, and attended Mt. Carmel Catholic Church. Eventually they purchased a two-story home on Colorado Avenue. That home still stands today and is now a pregnancy care center. After Pauline and RL divorced, she was able to purchase a small home on McClelland Avenue in 1953, the day before Christmas, when the children were ages 1,3,5, and 12. She continued to make a living for her family of five as a bookkeeper for Corkish-Flaks Cigar Company, which was a wholesale house that supplied candy, tobacco products and various sundry items to local convenience stores and to surrounding towns. Constantly thrifty and continually pinching pennies, she was still able to provide the children with music lessons; Carolyn the piano, Bob, accordion and trumpet, Charlotte, piano and flute, and Colleen, piano and clarinet. She raised her children to be upstanding citizens, that were independent, God fearing and who lived by the Golden Rule.Pauline was able to purchase her first car with the help of her daughter Carolyn…a 1957 Chevy. Even though there were hard times, the family never seemed to notice, as they were always happy together. When 1975 rolled around, Pauline retired. She was now able to devote her time and energy to her church, The Shrine of St. Therese, where she served faithfully in many positions. For many years, Pauline did the church laundry; sewing for cancer patients; was the treasurer for the Altar Society; cleaned the church; was the historian for the Bishop’s Guild; was a member of the League of the Sacred Heart, Council of Christian Women, the Diocesan Council of Women, and the Nocturnal Adoration Society; she also had a beautiful Soprano voice and belonged to the church choir. In recognition and gratitude of the service given to the Parish of Shrine of St. Therese, Pauline was presented the Bishop Tafoya Service Award and Medallion on December 3, 2006, at the Advent Vespers Service at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pueblo, Colorado.When Pauline was in her 80’s she was diagnosed with rectal cancer. True to the Schmidt strong faith and constitution, along with a little radiation and chemo- therapy, she came through it and remained cancer free the rest of her life.Sometime around 1995, Pauline was advised that she had cardiac heart disease and should have triple bypass surgery. She opted not to have the surgery, taking instead a high blood pressure medicine and buying (and eventually throwing away) nitro pills, as they fortunately didn’t seem necessary. Pauline continued to serve in her church and keep strong ties with her now married children. At the age of 96 she decided to give up driving and was blessed with having Carolyn and Charlotte at her beck and call. Her many friends also offered to chauffer her to church, meetings and breakfasts with the girls. Her daughter Carolyn unexpectedly passed away on April 20, 2007 of a massive heart attack. It was at this time that Charlotte took Mom into her home to live with her as she was beginning to need some assistance. She continued to thrive under Charlotte’s care and was able to continue attending her church services and meetings as often as possible. Late in November of 2009, her health began to decline rapidly. She passed away at home with her children and their spouses surrounding her, on Monday January 11, 2010. Pauline is survived by: her Children, Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren: Carolyn (Webb) Miller’s husband: Bob Miller and his daughter, Diana Miller. Carolyn’s son; Brian James Tlumach: wife, Fran Talant and their children, Orion Tlumach, Skyler and Tiffany Talant.Bob Webb: (Cindy Lewis), children, Bobby Webb and Tricia Louise Webb.Charlotte (Webb) Mangini: (Rodney Boughton) and children:Chez Lynette (Mangini) Jensen; husband (Craig) and daughter, Laryssa Brian Keith Boughton: wife (Tina) and their daughter: Mia Jolene Kay (Boughton) Crook; husband (John) and their children: Atticus and ZacharyColleen (Webb) (Butler) Blanke: husband (Roland Blanke), and children:Louis Edward Butler III: and children, Andrew, Ariana and BryenMatthew Aaron Butler: and children: Aaron, Nathan and AshlynnLacey Colleen (Butler) Castro: husband (Christopher)Jessica Danielle ButlerBryan Matthew Blanke: (Ranae) and children: Tanner and LaurenChad Andrew Blanke: and son, JordanToby Alan Blanke: (Sabrina) and children: Wade, Tyler and DestinyJosh Edward BlankeDona Marie (Blanke) Moore (Roger) and children: Roger David Moore and CatherineKori Lynn (Blanke) Jones (Alex) and son ElijhaMay thoughts of how our Mother cared,The love she gave and warmth she sharedAnd special things she did and saidBring comfort in the days ahead.With love and admiration,Bob, Charlotte and Colleen