Pauline Whalen

Pauline Whalen passed away peacefully on May 27, 2017. She was born on August 23, 1926 on a farm in southern Indiana. The youngest of seven siblings, Pauline had a wonderful childhood working and playing on the farm. School was always a priority in her life, from the one room school she attended as a child to Hanover College in Madison, Indiana. During her college years Pauline worked shifts at a munitions factory, her contribution to the war effort. This work ethic would serve her well throughout her life. After the war Pauline received her teaching degree from Hanover and graduated as the salutatorian of her class. She taught for one year in Indiana and then decided to travel and see some of the things and places she had read about as child. After enrolling in the Rocky Mountain Teacher’s Agency, she chose a job teaching English and Spanish at the High School in Boulder City, Nevada. That choice turned out to be a life changing event. It was in Boulder City that Polly met the love of her life, Donald Whalen. Don was the older brother of two of Pauline’s students. According to Polly “it was a crazy fun filled courtship with Las Vegas as our playground.” Things progressed quickly - they met in October, Don proposed in January, and were married on June 2, 1951 in Norman, Oklahoma. The next couple of years were spent in typical military fashion moving from base to base and caring for their first of two sons (Dann). When Don’s military commitment ended, it was back to school. The new family moved to Flagstaff Arizona and the couple added a second son (Gary) to the family. Juggling family and classes Pauline and Don both completed Master’s degrees in education at Arizona State College (NAU). Then it was off to Yuba City, California where Pauline accepted a teaching position at the local high school. Don took his first job coaching basketball. In 1959, Don was offered the position of basketball coach at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, a small town in the mountains they had never heard of. It was the thirteenth move in thirteen years for the young teacher from southern Indiana and it proved to be the best and last. Pauline became a stay at home mom chasing after Dann and Gary, finding time to join the League of Women Voters, PEO, Mercy Hospital Auxiliary, St. Columba’s Alter and Rosary Society, Friend of the Library and Hillcrest Golf Club. In the late 1960’s Pauline joined the staff at Durango High School as a counselor. She worked in that capacity for the next 20 years. Pauline always told her family that the only award she ever won was “Wife of the Year and Mother of the Year (self-appointed).” Pauline and Don spent 50+ wonderful years passionately playing in the Colorado outdoors - golf, skiing, hiking, reading, traveling and snowmobiling. Their entire lives were dedicated to educating and helping young adults find their way in the world. They will truly be missed by all who encountered them. Pauline was preceded in death by her husband. She is survived by sons Dann (wife Patricia) and Gary (wife Teri) and four grandchildren, Jessi, Luke, Dani and Lexi. Services will be held at St Columba Catholic Church on Saturday, July 8, 2017 at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Durango High School or Friends of the Durango Public Library in her honor, as a way to continue her legacy: to help educate the youth of Durango.