Pauline Mae Keil (Jones) Miller
Pauline Mae Keil was born on August 11, 1921 in the family home on their farm just outside Prairie Home Missouri. She was the third daughter of Frank Philip Keil and Laura Alvina Geminden Keil. Her sisters Evelyn Abigail and Dorothy Naomi were 9 and 7 years older. Her great grandparents on both sides had come from Germany and were among the first settlers in the area in the 1830's and '40's. In 1933 the family sold the farm and they, along with several other relatives, moved out to Tacoma to join other extended family members who had already relocated here. Pauline celebrated her 12th birthday during their caravan drive out. Here in Tacoma she attended Grey Intermediate School and graduated from Lincoln High School with honors in 1939.
Pauline went to work as a bookkeeper after graduation. Soon after she started and then owned and operated her own accounting business for over 50 years, doing the accounting for many Tacoma individuals and businesses including Baydo Motors and the Sure-Fit company.
She met her first husband Armario (Arm) Jones when she was working as a bookkeeper at South Tacoma Motors where he was a salesman. They were married on Thanksgiving Day 1946. Pauline and Arm established their first home by moving a house onto a lot on 56th street, just up the street from her sister Dorothy's home. They later moved to a wonderful home on Spanaway Lake Road where they entertained crowds of family and friends. There they bred, trained and showed boxer dogs, winning many awards with them. In 1952 they purchased land on 80th Street East and began building a beautiful home there. They first built a barn/outbuilding where they lived while working on the home. They did most of the work themselves, including cleaning and reusing tons of old bricks salvaged from Tacoma buildings damaged in the 1949 earthquake. Arm passed away in 1968 after 22 years of marriage.
In December of 1976 Pauline married Peter C. Miller. They had a busy life full of friends, social activities and travel. They were happily married for 22 years until Peter passed away in 1998.
Pauline was very active in the Tacoma community. She was a long-time member of the American Business Women's Association, Kla-How-Ya Chapter, at one time serving as their president. She was a member of the Ladies Oriental Shrine of North America, Ahlab Court and Clown Unit, for which she was the treasurer. She belonged to the Zora Temple of the Daughter's of Nile and the Social Order of the Beauceant, a society for Master Masons and their female relatives.
Pauline and Arm and later Pauline and Peter traveled extensively, including trips all over the US, especially the Southwest (which she loved) and the Midwest, including trips back to Missouri to visit family and friends and her childhood home. They visited Hawaii, Las Vegas, Reno and Branson several times. She and Peter took seven cruises, including to Alaska, the Caribbean, Mexico and the Panama Canal. They traveled to Rio de Janeiro Brazil where she was especially proud of climbing all the way up to the Christ the Redeemer Statue. They also traveled to Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Kowloon, Manila, Thailand, Corregidor, Caracas Venezuela, and Columbia on several trips.
Pauline always loved animals. She told of being lonely as a little girl on the farm in Missouri, being the much younger of three sisters, so she made the farm "police dog" Nibs and a chicken she tamed into her playmates. You can see in her photos several pictures of her with her childhood animal friends. She continued to have dogs throughout her life. For many years she had boxers – especially the wonderful Rusty - then Pomeranians, some "pound pooches" and Pauline's very last dog, a loyal little black Schipperke named Missy.
She lived in her beloved home on 80th Street East until 2007 when her health no longer permitted it. She lived the last 5 years of her life at University Place Care Center where she was appreciated, loved and well cared for. Pauline was predeceased by her parents, her husbands Arm and Peter, her sisters Evelyn and Dorothy, her nephew Walter E. Keil and many other family members and friends. Her niece, her great neice and great nephew and his children, a step-daughter and several cousins survive her.
Pauline was a woman of extraordinary resilience, determination, and accomplishments. She found herself "starting over", through circumstances not of her choosing, many times in her life. She always figured things out and rose to the occasion to survive and prevail over her challenges. In each instance she triumphed over her troubles and she did it her way…. Every time.
Pauline Mae Keil was born on August 11, 1921 in the family home on their farm just outside Prairie Home Missouri. She was the third daughter of Frank Philip Keil and Laura Alvina Geminden Keil. Her sisters Evelyn Abigail and Dorothy Naomi were 9 and 7 years older. Her great grandparents on both sides had come from Germany and were among the first settlers in the area in the 1830's and '40's. In 1933 the family sold the farm and they, along with several other relatives, moved out to Tacoma to join other extended family members who had already relocated here. Pauline celebrated her 12th birthday during their caravan drive out. Here in Tacoma she attended Grey Intermediate School and graduated from Lincoln High School with honors in 1939.
Pauline went to work as a bookkeeper after graduation. Soon after she started and then owned and operated her own accounting business for over 50 years, doing the accounting for many Tacoma individuals and businesses including Baydo Motors and the Sure-Fit company.
She met her first husband Armario (Arm) Jones when she was working as a bookkeeper at South Tacoma Motors where he was a salesman. They were married on Thanksgiving Day 1946. Pauline and Arm established their first home by moving a house onto a lot on 56th street, just up the street from her sister Dorothy's home. They later moved to a wonderful home on Spanaway Lake Road where they entertained crowds of family and friends. There they bred, trained and showed boxer dogs, winning many awards with them. In 1952 they purchased land on 80th Street East and began building a beautiful home there. They first built a barn/outbuilding where they lived while working on the home. They did most of the work themselves, including cleaning and reusing tons of old bricks salvaged from Tacoma buildings damaged in the 1949 earthquake. Arm passed away in 1968 after 22 years of marriage.
In December of 1976 Pauline married Peter C. Miller. They had a busy life full of friends, social activities and travel. They were happily married for 22 years until Peter passed away in 1998.
Pauline was very active in the Tacoma community. She was a long-time member of the American Business Women's Association, Kla-How-Ya Chapter, at one time serving as their president. She was a member of the Ladies Oriental Shrine of North America, Ahlab Court and Clown Unit, for which she was the treasurer. She belonged to the Zora Temple of the Daughter's of Nile and the Social Order of the Beauceant, a society for Master Masons and their female relatives.
Pauline and Arm and later Pauline and Peter traveled extensively, including trips all over the US, especially the Southwest (which she loved) and the Midwest, including trips back to Missouri to visit family and friends and her childhood home. They visited Hawaii, Las Vegas, Reno and Branson several times. She and Peter took seven cruises, including to Alaska, the Caribbean, Mexico and the Panama Canal. They traveled to Rio de Janeiro Brazil where she was especially proud of climbing all the way up to the Christ the Redeemer Statue. They also traveled to Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Kowloon, Manila, Thailand, Corregidor, Caracas Venezuela, and Columbia on several trips.
Pauline always loved animals. She told of being lonely as a little girl on the farm in Missouri, being the much younger of three sisters, so she made the farm "police dog" Nibs and a chicken she tamed into her playmates. You can see in her photos several pictures of her with her childhood animal friends. She continued to have dogs throughout her life. For many years she had boxers – especially the wonderful Rusty - then Pomeranians, some "pound pooches" and Pauline's very last dog, a loyal little black Schipperke named Missy.
She lived in her beloved home on 80th Street East until 2007 when her health no longer permitted it. She lived the last 5 years of her life at University Place Care Center where she was appreciated, loved and well cared for. Pauline was predeceased by her parents, her husbands Arm and Peter, her sisters Evelyn and Dorothy, her nephew Walter E. Keil and many other family members and friends. Her niece, her great neice and great nephew and his children, a step-daughter and several cousins survive her.
Pauline was a woman of extraordinary resilience, determination, and accomplishments. She found herself "starting over", through circumstances not of her choosing, many times in her life. She always figured things out and rose to the occasion to survive and prevail over her challenges. In each instance she triumphed over her troubles and she did it her way…. Every time.
Pauline Mae Keil (Jones) Miller
Pauline Mae Keil was born on August 11, 1921 in the family home on their farm just outside Prairie Home Missouri. She was the third daughter of Frank Philip Keil and Laura Alvina Geminden Keil. Her sisters Evelyn Abigail and Dorothy Naomi were 9 and 7 years older. Her great grandparents on both sides had come from Germany and were among the first settlers in the area in the 1830's and '40's. In 1933 the family sold the farm and they, along with several other relatives, moved out to Tacoma to join other extended family members who had already relocated here. Pauline celebrated her 12th birthday during their caravan drive out. Here in Tacoma she attended Grey Intermediate School and graduated from Lincoln High School with honors in 1939.
Pauline went to work as a bookkeeper after graduation. Soon after she started and then owned and operated her own accounting business for over 50 years, doing the accounting for many Tacoma individuals and businesses including Baydo Motors and the Sure-Fit company.
She met her first husband Armario (Arm) Jones when she was working as a bookkeeper at South Tacoma Motors where he was a salesman. They were married on Thanksgiving Day 1946. Pauline and Arm established their first home by moving a house onto a lot on 56th street, just up the street from her sister Dorothy's home. They later moved to a wonderful home on Spanaway Lake Road where they entertained crowds of family and friends. There they bred, trained and showed boxer dogs, winning many awards with them. In 1952 they purchased land on 80th Street East and began building a beautiful home there. They first built a barn/outbuilding where they lived while working on the home. They did most of the work themselves, including cleaning and reusing tons of old bricks salvaged from Tacoma buildings damaged in the 1949 earthquake. Arm passed away in 1968 after 22 years of marriage.
In December of 1976 Pauline married Peter C. Miller. They had a busy life full of friends, social activities and travel. They were happily married for 22 years until Peter passed away in 1998.
Pauline was very active in the Tacoma community. She was a long-time member of the American Business Women's Association, Kla-How-Ya Chapter, at one time serving as their president. She was a member of the Ladies Oriental Shrine of North America, Ahlab Court and Clown Unit, for which she was the treasurer. She belonged to the Zora Temple of the Daughter's of Nile and the Social Order of the Beauceant, a society for Master Masons and their female relatives.
Pauline and Arm and later Pauline and Peter traveled extensively, including trips all over the US, especially the Southwest (which she loved) and the Midwest, including trips back to Missouri to visit family and friends and her childhood home. They visited Hawaii, Las Vegas, Reno and Branson several times. She and Peter took seven cruises, including to Alaska, the Caribbean, Mexico and the Panama Canal. They traveled to Rio de Janeiro Brazil where she was especially proud of climbing all the way up to the Christ the Redeemer Statue. They also traveled to Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Kowloon, Manila, Thailand, Corregidor, Caracas Venezuela, and Columbia on several trips.
Pauline always loved animals. She told of being lonely as a little girl on the farm in Missouri, being the much younger of three sisters, so she made the farm "police dog" Nibs and a chicken she tamed into her playmates. You can see in her photos several pictures of her with her childhood animal friends. She continued to have dogs throughout her life. For many years she had boxers – especially the wonderful Rusty - then Pomeranians, some "pound pooches" and Pauline's very last dog, a loyal little black Schipperke named Missy.
She lived in her beloved home on 80th Street East until 2007 when her health no longer permitted it. She lived the last 5 years of her life at University Place Care Center where she was appreciated, loved and well cared for. Pauline was predeceased by her parents, her husbands Arm and Peter, her sisters Evelyn and Dorothy, her nephew Walter E. Keil and many other family members and friends. Her niece, her great neice and great nephew and his children, a step-daughter and several cousins survive her.
Pauline was a woman of extraordinary resilience, determination, and accomplishments. She found herself "starting over", through circumstances not of her choosing, many times in her life. She always figured things out and rose to the occasion to survive and prevail over her challenges. In each instance she triumphed over her troubles and she did it her way…. Every time.
Pauline Mae Keil was born on August 11, 1921 in the family home on their farm just outside Prairie Home Missouri. She was the third daughter of Frank Philip Keil and Laura Alvina Geminden Keil. Her sisters Evelyn Abigail and Dorothy Naomi were 9 and 7 years older. Her great grandparents on both sides had come from Germany and were among the first settlers in the area in the 1830's and '40's. In 1933 the family sold the farm and they, along with several other relatives, moved out to Tacoma to join other extended family members who had already relocated here. Pauline celebrated her 12th birthday during their caravan drive out. Here in Tacoma she attended Grey Intermediate School and graduated from Lincoln High School with honors in 1939.
Pauline went to work as a bookkeeper after graduation. Soon after she started and then owned and operated her own accounting business for over 50 years, doing the accounting for many Tacoma individuals and businesses including Baydo Motors and the Sure-Fit company.
She met her first husband Armario (Arm) Jones when she was working as a bookkeeper at South Tacoma Motors where he was a salesman. They were married on Thanksgiving Day 1946. Pauline and Arm established their first home by moving a house onto a lot on 56th street, just up the street from her sister Dorothy's home. They later moved to a wonderful home on Spanaway Lake Road where they entertained crowds of family and friends. There they bred, trained and showed boxer dogs, winning many awards with them. In 1952 they purchased land on 80th Street East and began building a beautiful home there. They first built a barn/outbuilding where they lived while working on the home. They did most of the work themselves, including cleaning and reusing tons of old bricks salvaged from Tacoma buildings damaged in the 1949 earthquake. Arm passed away in 1968 after 22 years of marriage.
In December of 1976 Pauline married Peter C. Miller. They had a busy life full of friends, social activities and travel. They were happily married for 22 years until Peter passed away in 1998.
Pauline was very active in the Tacoma community. She was a long-time member of the American Business Women's Association, Kla-How-Ya Chapter, at one time serving as their president. She was a member of the Ladies Oriental Shrine of North America, Ahlab Court and Clown Unit, for which she was the treasurer. She belonged to the Zora Temple of the Daughter's of Nile and the Social Order of the Beauceant, a society for Master Masons and their female relatives.
Pauline and Arm and later Pauline and Peter traveled extensively, including trips all over the US, especially the Southwest (which she loved) and the Midwest, including trips back to Missouri to visit family and friends and her childhood home. They visited Hawaii, Las Vegas, Reno and Branson several times. She and Peter took seven cruises, including to Alaska, the Caribbean, Mexico and the Panama Canal. They traveled to Rio de Janeiro Brazil where she was especially proud of climbing all the way up to the Christ the Redeemer Statue. They also traveled to Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Kowloon, Manila, Thailand, Corregidor, Caracas Venezuela, and Columbia on several trips.
Pauline always loved animals. She told of being lonely as a little girl on the farm in Missouri, being the much younger of three sisters, so she made the farm "police dog" Nibs and a chicken she tamed into her playmates. You can see in her photos several pictures of her with her childhood animal friends. She continued to have dogs throughout her life. For many years she had boxers – especially the wonderful Rusty - then Pomeranians, some "pound pooches" and Pauline's very last dog, a loyal little black Schipperke named Missy.
She lived in her beloved home on 80th Street East until 2007 when her health no longer permitted it. She lived the last 5 years of her life at University Place Care Center where she was appreciated, loved and well cared for. Pauline was predeceased by her parents, her husbands Arm and Peter, her sisters Evelyn and Dorothy, her nephew Walter E. Keil and many other family members and friends. Her niece, her great neice and great nephew and his children, a step-daughter and several cousins survive her.
Pauline was a woman of extraordinary resilience, determination, and accomplishments. She found herself "starting over", through circumstances not of her choosing, many times in her life. She always figured things out and rose to the occasion to survive and prevail over her challenges. In each instance she triumphed over her troubles and she did it her way…. Every time.
