Ralph Pauley

Ralph Theodore Pauley, Sr. was born on February 10, 1926, in Shelby County near Panama, Iowa to parents Hubert and Anna (Mickels) Pauley. He graduated from St. Mary's Catholic High School in Panama. He began farming with his brother Albert near Tenant, Iowa. On February 27, 1946, Ralph married Veronica Gau at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Defiance, Iowa. They farmed near Tenant, then east of Panama. After moving to Defiance, Iowa Ralph purchased the Standard Tank Wagon and operated that for six years. The family then moved to Westphalia where Ralph was the custodian for the parish. They later farmed east of Westphalia before buying a farm east of Woodbine in January 1971. Ralph also did carpentry work and drove the school bus for the Harlan and Woodbine schools. In 1996 the couple moved into Woodbine. Ralph sold cemetery monuments for Bloom Monument Company and worked as a janitor at the Woodland Apartments for a number of years. Ralph became a resident of Rose Vista Nursing Home in November of 2004.

Ralph was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Woodbine and had served as an usher there. The couple were members of the Woodbine and Missouri Valley dance clubs. Ralph also loved to go to auctions.

Ralph died on Wednesday, August 8, 2007, at the Rose Vista Nursing Home in Woodbine at the age of 81 years, five months and 29 days.

Ralph was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Mary Williams; infant son, Gerard; grandson, Scott Williams; and brothers, Leo, Albert, Zeno and Fred. He is survived by his wife Veronica Pauley of Woodbine, Iowa; five children, Ron and Donna Pauley of Shelby, Iowa, Don and Helga Pauley of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Shirley and Tom Schwertley of Logan, Iowa, Ralph Jr. and Shelli Pauley and Jeff Pauley all of Woodbine, Iowa; son-in-law Bruce Williams of Woodbine, Iowa; 14 grandchildren, Don Jr., Steffanie, Robert, Mark, Brenda, Rhonda, Scott (deceased), Chad, Jennifer, Ryan, Gina, Kyle, Melissa and Vincent; 11 great grandchildren; two sisters, Mary Ann Weis of Woodbine, Iowa and Marcella Schmitz of Harlan, Iowa; brother, Andy and Grace Pauley of Panama, Iowa and many other relatives and friends.