NEWTON—Donald L. Pauley, 92, died Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at his Newton residence. He was born Jan. 4, 1929, in Rooks County, to George and Emma (McNutt) Pauley.
He served his country in the U.S. Army where he was a code breaker and served during the peacetime immediacy following World War II.
On April 8, 1950, he married Jean Pauley at the Presbyterian Church in Carlton.
Donald was a founding member of the Trinity Heights United Methodist Church in Newton.
During his working years, he worked as a herdsman for the former McPherson College Dairy and as a plumber and in construction where he worked on the crew that built the first all-steel grain elevator in Kansas.
Following retirement, he and his wife worked summers on the National Parks Service program at Yellowstone Park.
Don enjoyed keeping up with his children, grandkids, great-grandkids and his great-great-grandkids and the many friends and extended family he met.
He is survived by his children, Michael Pauley; Mark and his wife Jo Pauley; Joyce and her husband Jerry Roth; and Nancy Koehn. He also is survived by 12 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and many great-great-grandchildren.
Donald was preceded in death by his parents; wife Jean; sister, Doris Conley; granddaughter, Elizabeth Pauley; daughter-in-law, Lea Pauley; and son-in-law, Stan Koehn.
Memorial service will be at 11 a.m., Friday, May 21, at Trinity Heights United Methodist Church with the Rev. Donna Voteau presiding. Prior to the service, friends are invited to join the family for coffee and rolls at the church from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Memorials are suggested to Trinity Heights United Methodist Church or the Kansas Honor Flight, in care of Petersen Funeral Home.
