Prune Pauley
July 1, 1948 — May 28, 2023
Dolores "Prune" (Hicklin) Pauley was born at Mahasaka County Hospital in Oskaloosa, Iowa on July 1, 1948 to James Ardell and Nola Geraldine (Walker) Hicklin. From a young age everyone knew her only as Prune, a name given to her by her father. Early on her family lived in Ellsworth and Kanopolis, Kansas area where her father Jim worked with the oil rigs. Later the family settled and put down roots in Woodbine, Iowa moving first to the house on Normal Street, then to their final home on Lincoln Way. Prune liked to play sports growing up taking after her brothers she used to say. Playing softball and basketball in Woodbine during high school.
Prune met Alfred through a mutual family friend. On June 21, 1972, Prune was united in marriage to Alfred Pauley in Crested Butte, Colorado. This union was blessed with five children: Tony, Tracie, Trina, Trent (TJ), and Toby. They made their home in Panama, Iowa. Prune was a homemaker most of her life until her children were older. She worked for Roger's Stop and Shop, and then Panama Transfer where she retired.
Her hobbies through the years included crocheting, cross stitching decorations for all holidays, word searches, and reading romance novels. When her health was good you could find her spending most of her time working in her rose garden. She had roses of every color but red roses were her favorite. She took pride in displaying her Dreamsicles angel figurines through the years accumulating a large collection. If you knew Prune she was a lively and sometimes very outspoken person. When her children or grandchildren were playing sports, you could be sure to hear her cheering the loudest compared to most of the parents. She had a very recognizable voice. Prune's grandkids called her Mamo instead of grandma. This carried on with her grandkids friends calling her Mamo as well as many foster grandkids over the years.
In late summer of 2022 Prune was diagnosed with cancer and fought her fight as best she could. During the winter of January 2023 she was lucky to be feeling well enough to travel to Houston and Galveston, Texas and enjoy some warmer weather. It was one of her bucket list items to put her feet in the ocean. On Sunday, May 28th, attaining the age of 74 years, 10 months and 28 days Prune passed away peacefully from a heart condition at Jennie Edmundson Hospital surrounded by her family. She was preceded in death by her parents Jim and Gerry Hicklin, brother Michael (Mike) Hicklin and sister Gloria "Punk" Hollander.
Left to cherish her memory are her husband Alfred of almost 51 years, three sons: Tony and his wife Niki of Newton, Trent and wife Sheri Pauley of Council Bluffs, and Toby and wife Heather Pauley of Harlan; two daughters: Tracie and husband Corey Freund of Panama, Trina Pauley Jacobsen and husband Joel Jacobsen of Shelby. Step children: Jerry Pauley and the late Peggy Pauley of Panama, Scott Pauley of Panama, Barb Leinen and husband Gary of Panama, and Bruce Pauley and wife Kris of Woodbine. Siblings: Myra Kerger and husband John of Woodbine, Larry Hicklin of Schleswig and Sam Hicklin of Hampton; brother-in-law Ted Hollander of Denison, sister-in-law Linda Steele and husband Terry of New Sharon; brother-in-law Kenny Pauley and the late Eileen Pauley of Panama; 11 grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild, 11 step-grandchildren and 15 step-great grandchildren.
Prune met Alfred through a mutual family friend. On June 21, 1972, Prune was united in marriage to Alfred Pauley in Crested Butte, Colorado. This union was blessed with five children: Tony, Tracie, Trina, Trent (TJ), and Toby. They made their home in Panama, Iowa. Prune was a homemaker most of her life until her children were older. She worked for Roger's Stop and Shop, and then Panama Transfer where she retired.
Her hobbies through the years included crocheting, cross stitching decorations for all holidays, word searches, and reading romance novels. When her health was good you could find her spending most of her time working in her rose garden. She had roses of every color but red roses were her favorite. She took pride in displaying her Dreamsicles angel figurines through the years accumulating a large collection. If you knew Prune she was a lively and sometimes very outspoken person. When her children or grandchildren were playing sports, you could be sure to hear her cheering the loudest compared to most of the parents. She had a very recognizable voice. Prune's grandkids called her Mamo instead of grandma. This carried on with her grandkids friends calling her Mamo as well as many foster grandkids over the years.
In late summer of 2022 Prune was diagnosed with cancer and fought her fight as best she could. During the winter of January 2023 she was lucky to be feeling well enough to travel to Houston and Galveston, Texas and enjoy some warmer weather. It was one of her bucket list items to put her feet in the ocean. On Sunday, May 28th, attaining the age of 74 years, 10 months and 28 days Prune passed away peacefully from a heart condition at Jennie Edmundson Hospital surrounded by her family. She was preceded in death by her parents Jim and Gerry Hicklin, brother Michael (Mike) Hicklin and sister Gloria "Punk" Hollander.
Left to cherish her memory are her husband Alfred of almost 51 years, three sons: Tony and his wife Niki of Newton, Trent and wife Sheri Pauley of Council Bluffs, and Toby and wife Heather Pauley of Harlan; two daughters: Tracie and husband Corey Freund of Panama, Trina Pauley Jacobsen and husband Joel Jacobsen of Shelby. Step children: Jerry Pauley and the late Peggy Pauley of Panama, Scott Pauley of Panama, Barb Leinen and husband Gary of Panama, and Bruce Pauley and wife Kris of Woodbine. Siblings: Myra Kerger and husband John of Woodbine, Larry Hicklin of Schleswig and Sam Hicklin of Hampton; brother-in-law Ted Hollander of Denison, sister-in-law Linda Steele and husband Terry of New Sharon; brother-in-law Kenny Pauley and the late Eileen Pauley of Panama; 11 grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild, 11 step-grandchildren and 15 step-great grandchildren.
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