Pauline Aurora Vigil

Pauline Aurora Manzanares was born on November 16, 1933 and passed into her next adventure in life on May 5th, 2014. She is the middle child of Francis and Elias Manzanares of Alamosa, Colorado. She was joined in Holy Matrimony to the love her life Frank Arthur Vigil on February 11, 1952. Four children resulted from this union. She grew up a country girl, a farm kid who loved the outdoors. That woman could fish. She loved to fish. Many times at Delaney buttes catching the big rainbows, this little grandma out fished everyone. She could be seen in her jacket, a fishing hat and an old pair of pants just hauling them in. Other fisherman, all decked out in the latest Cabela’s apparel would come up to the little grandma to get a lesson on how to catch fish. She was not selfish with her secrets, she showed them, she was using “ a wooly bugger” and a nice steady pull toward shore. And then bam, she set the hook, another one on the line; that made anyone watching just shake their head and smile.

This Mother and Grandmother was always concerned “about the other” and about harmony. She didn’t like strife and was intolerant of bickering. She practiced what is written in Corinthians about “not taking into account a wrong suffered.” She loved children and sharing her faith with others. Her one desire is that her children would learn to know and love Christ.

Pauline was active in her church, teaching catechism for 15 years here at Holy Cross Catholic Church. Later with Father Charlie Chaput now Arch-Bishop Chaput she was active in outreach activities for Hispanic Catholics that took her to Washington DC. That adventure left a certain special impact on her and all of us. Mom was devoted to Christ, his Church, his Mother and that relationship with Christ, his Church and devotion to the Holy Family has carried on in her children.

When Mom’s last child graduated high school she went back to college to study elementary education. She was on the Deans list every semester. She graduated with honors with nearly straight A’s in all courses. That landed her a job teaching kindergarten. She had a passion for teaching and within a few years became a highly respected “mentor teacher” for newly hired teachers. She taught school for nearly 20 years retiring from Rose Hill Elementary in the early 1990’s.

Mom will be remembered and missed in this life by her sister Julia, Her Brother Elias (Buddy), and her little sister Betty; her children Christopher his wife Mary, Deborah (her Fiance John Keighin), Julie, Merle and his wife Desiree, 15 grandchildren (and spouses), 17 great-grand children, numerous nephews, nieces, cousins, family friends and neighbors.

Arrangements Entrusted to Olinger Highland Mortuary & Cemetery, Thornton, CO