Services will be held at 10am, Saturday, November 30, 2024 at Dugan Kramer Funeral Chapel in Scottsbluff with Chris Stillahn officiating. Interment will follow at West Lawn Cemetery, Gering, Nebraska. Family visitation will be Friday at the funeral home from 5-7 pm. Fond memories and condolences may be left at www.dugankramer.com. A cookie reception will follow the service at Dugan Kramer Funeral Chapel.
Pauline was born January 24, 1921 to Carrie and Bessie (Applegate) Watson in Marquis, Saskatchewan, Canada. Pauline was the oldest of her five siblings. Pauline moved to the panhandle of Nebraska to live with her grandparents to finish high school in October 1941. She graduated from Scottsbluff High School in 1942.
She worked at the Chester B Brown Bean Company until she met her husband Harry Richard Francisco. They married June 3, 1945. Their first son was born in 1949, Dale Francisco. Dale was delivered by Doc Watson in Scottsbluff, Nebraska Following Dale's birth, they moved to San Diego, California. Their second son Carl Francisco was born in 1954, in Glendale, California.
Following Harry’s retirement, the family returned to western Nebraska. Later the couple divorced. Pauline worked for the Gering Medical Center 1975-1977. In 1977, Pauline began working for Prohs Furniture and worked there until 1991.
Pauline was a member of Woman of the Moose and Eagles Auxiliary. She was very active in AARP and volunteered many hours. Pauline received the 2011 Andrus Award for community service Oct 5, 2011 on recognition of her volunteer service. Governor Dave Heineman appointed Pauline as Admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska.
Pauline enjoyed gardening and yard work. She had a large garden every year until she was 99 years old. She enjoyed canning all her produce and giving it away to family members. Pauline enjoyed mowing her yard until Carl took her riding lawn mower away from her at age 95.
Pauline lived with Carl and Cindy in Lake Havasu City, Arizona and Gering, Nebraska for several years before she moved to Heritage Estates in 2021.
Pauline is survived by son Dale (Sandy) Francisco of Reno, Nevada and Carl (Cindy) Francisco of Lake Havasu City, Arizona; grandchildren Sarah (Chris) Stillahn of Scottsbluff, NE and Lee Francisco of Phoenix, AZ; great grandchildren Graceon and Cambrie Stillahn of Scottsbluff, NE and sister Jackie (Sam) Oetkin, brother-in-law Bob Bentley of Gold Beach, OR and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Robert and Clifford, sisters Bonnie, Beulah “Billie”, infant brother Russel and ex-husband Harry.
We’d like to thank the staff at Heritage Estates for her care for over the 3 ½ years she lived there. They were like her second family as she also enjoyed all the activities and the other residents there.
