Vera Lorraine Pauley

Vera Lorraine Moran Pauley was born on March 1, 1925 in Reeding, Oklahoma to parents John and Ellen (Ruhl) Moran and passed from this life on September 30, 2018 in Abilene, Texas. Her early years were spent in Ponca City, Oklahoma. Both of her parents were born in Indian Territory before Oklahoma became a state and her grandparents were pioneer settlers in that area in 1889. The Morans left their beloved state for California in 1937 seeking more favorable economic fields and settled in Los Angeles. From then on Lorraine and her sisters received their schooling in Los Angeles. She graduated from Bret Harte Jr. High, Fremont High School, Pepperdine College and did graduate studies at UCLA. It was at Pepperdine that she met Burt Pauley, a returning veteran of World War II, who was pursuing his degree in education and psychology. Two days after Lorraine graduated, they married on June 4, 1946. A baby brother, Danny was added to the Moran family that same year.

Burt continued his education at USC and both entered the public school teaching field in Los Angeles.   When Burt decided after several years that he would enter the ministry, Lorraine became a stay-at-home mom as their home had been blessed with children, Joe, John, and Mary.   Since being a teacher had been her goal from childhood, she now had the opportunity to teach their children at home along with their regular public school studies and also teach Bible school, Vacation Bible School, ladies’ Bible classes, teacher workshops and in summer camps. She wrote curricula for many of her classes and articles related to field of teaching for Christian Teacher. When the children left for college, she returned to public school as a substitute teacher for ten years. When their parents needed health care, Burt and Lorraine took early retirement and moved to Banning, California to be near them. For the next 23 years, they lived in the San Gorgonio Pass in Riverside County. This was to be their last California home, as Burt’s declining health meant they needed to be near their children, who had settled in Texas. They moved to Abilene in 2009 and became members of Oldham Lane church of Christ.

Lorraine was preceded in death by her husband in March 2013, after 66 years of marriage. Also preceding her were her parents, John and Ellen Moran, father-in-law and mother-in-law, Arley and Maude Pauley, son, Joseph Morgan Pauley, granddaughter Marshaun Elizabeth Ross, Burt’s three sisters, two brothers-in-law, one sister-in-law, two nephews and two nieces. She is survived by one son, John Pauley (Carol) , Coppell, TX; one daughter, Mary Ross, Abilene; granddaughter, Marissa Thompson, Abilene; grandson Morgan (Sheneice) Ross, Abilene, grandson Andrew (Brittany) Pauley, Sugar Land, TX; granddaughter Kate Edwards, Pasadena, CA; six great-grandchildren, Addison, Sawyer and Lainey Thompson of Abilene, Vera Anne and Zelda Katherine of Sugarland, and Kelby Waldon of Gainesville, FL; sisters Wanda Nesbit, Rogue River, OR; Mary Moran, Thousand Oaks, CA; brother, Dan Moran (Liang), Lancaster, CA; sister-in-law Linda Hays (Chuck), Long Beach, CA; as well as many nephews, nieces, cousins, brothers and sisters in Christ and dear friends.

A memorial service is planned for 10:00 a.m. Thursday, October 4, 2018 at the Oldham Lane Church of Christ, 5049 Oldham Lane with Chris McCurley officiating. Services are under the direction of Piersall Funeral Directors, 733 Butternut St. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Christian Works for Children, 5440 Harvest Hill Road, Suite 140, Dallas, TX 75230 or New Mexico Christian Children's Home, 1356 New Mexico 236, Portales, New Mexico, 88130-9411. Condolences may be offered to the family online at www.pbfuneraldirectors.com.