Pauline (Oxley) Smith

In Loving Memory of
Pauline Oxley Smith
January 19, 1918 - July 12, 2015
"To forget one's ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without a root". Chinese Proverb
Pauline Erma (Oxley) Smith was born January 19, 1918 in Taylor County, Iowa; first born daughter to Glenn and Hazel (Borders) Oxley. She grew up on two farms in the Guss area and graduated from Bedford High School. After graduation she taught in a one room country school for two years, five miles from her family home. Adventure was a top priority to Pauline and she saved enough from her first teaching job to take The Challenger train from Omaha to Los Angeles. She stayed with her mother's nurse sister Betty and worked at Good Samaritan Hospital as an aide. She celebrated her 21st year by moving to Denver and going to business school. She was secretary to the president of a chiropractic college and later worked for a chiropractor near her parent's home as she attended Clarinda Junior College. She had a few more jobs here and there across the nation. When she was 30 she had picked up enough credits for a bachelor's degree at San Jose State College and soon was teaching elementary school in San Rafael, California. Her life changed when good friend and fellow teacher Juanita Steele urged Pauline to accompany her on a summer road trip to the Black Hills. Driving through South Dakota, a truck side-swiped them on a curve. It required an eight-day wait in Rapid City to get them on the road again. During that time they stayed in the Cedar Tree Motel. The hotel manager was none other than Merle I. Smith, the courtship began and in September 1951 they married. They had daughters Sue and Julie in South Dakota and then moved to San Jose, California where they had their third daughter Patsy and then son Stuart joined the family. Besides raising her four children Pauline had a passion for Family History, birdwatching, gardening and travel. Pauline and Merle were able to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in 2001 shortly before Merle passed away. She moved to Capital Manor, Salem Oregon in 2005. Pauline passed away at the age of 97 on Sunday July 12, 2015 in her own bed as per her wishes.
She is preceded in death by her parents; husband Merle; brother Lowell Oxley, and sister Vesta Andrew; Surviving Pauline are her siblings Audrey Miller Bridie and Lloyd Oxley; her four children Sue Smith, Julia Smith, Patsy Smith Ross, and Stuart Smith; her sons-in-law Steve Ross and Jeffrey Howard; her grandchildren Jasmine Smith Howard, Jyota Smith Howard, Ryan Oliver, Gordon Ross, Lindsey Stratton, Travis Ross, and grandson-in-law Josh Stratton; and her great grandchildren Hyatt and Harper Stratton in addition to many wonderful in-laws, family members and friends.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2015, 2:00 pm at Capitol Manor. Final resting place Los Gatos Memorial Park, San Jose, CA. In lieu of flowers the family requests that you donate to your favorite charity. Farnstrom Mortuary is handling arrangements. Memories and condolences at FarnstromMortuary.com.