Assuming Pauline Ester Carlile would not live, the clerk for Childress County, Texas, did not record her birth date of March 24, 1925. But she outlived all 3 of her sisters and her brother, to be almost 98 years old lacking 44 days.

At age 8, this middle child of five became the caregiver of the household when her mother Lucy died of cowpox and dad G.E. left home to work with the WPA road crew. Local families gave the children food, and the children began working in other peoples' cotton fields to make their own way. School and early marriage were in the cards for the 3 older girls.

Pauline and Novella married brothers; Pauline married Elmer Evans when both were 18; Novella married Willie J. Pauline and Elmer's first child was born the day after he left for WWII Basic Training in 1943. Paula was to young to remember the cross-country train rides to North Carolina nor to Seattle following Elmer while he was in training. Only a picture represented her Daddy for 3 years of her life.

A second daughter was born in 1950 named Gail. She was Daddy's girl following him everywhere she could. She sang alto to his songs when she was four or five. One thing he was determined to do was protect her voice. Her tonsils would never be removed. Dad was afraid the doctors might hurt her voice.

After the War, Elmer and Pauline lived in Amarillo until 1956 when they moved to a farm in East Texas. Elmer's family, including him, had been Christians in OM, Oklahoma, during his youth, but he had drifted away from the faith during the War. Pauline was baptized in 1955. Elmer soon followed her example and returned to God leading singing, directing singing instructions, and even preaching. Congregations Elmer and Pauline worked with included Ridge, Texas, Coolidge, Texas, Whiteface, Texas (twice), and Corona, California from 1958-1979. Elmer worked for the City of Whiteface until his death in 1985. Pauline also worked for the City of Whiteface as a clerk and Municipal Judge.

In 2004, Pauline sold her house in Whiteface and moved to Buchanan Dam to be close to Paula and Don. She later lived several years each, with the Welches and Darnells before moving to the Care Center in Kingsland, TX. A Christian for 68 years, she was a member of the Highland Lakes Church of Christ the last 19 years of her life.

Among the jobs Pauline mastered were childcare, sewing, field work, cotton picker, grocery cashier and stocker, preacher's wife and ladies Bible class teacher, city clerk, Municipal Judge, and fabulous cook.

Pauline was preceded in death by her parents Lucy and George Emmett; her siblings Nadene, Novella, G.E., and Mary Ann; her husband Elmer, and a granddaughter Lydia.

She is survived by two daughters and their husbands: Paula and Don Welch and Gail and Ken Darnell, all of Buchanan Dam, Texas: two grandsons; Kyle Welch of Buchanan Dam, Texas, and Evan Darnell of Lancaster, Texas: six great-grandchildren and one great-great-grand child on the way.