Pauline Shortle

Pauline Dyer Shortle, age 93 of Huntsville, Texas, passed away on February 7, 2023.

She was born in Manhattan, KS on February 16, 1929 to George and Myrtle Dyer. She was the oldest of 3 sisters including Barbara Stone and Carolyn Snow. The girls grew up on a rural farm near Riley, KS with all of the challenges, chores, privileges, learning, and love that came along with a Great Depression Era farm upbringing. Their childhoods were not easy but they also had everything they needed. The stories of their upbringing, and there were many, included horses, pigs, barns, hay, and raccoons among other things and the high quality of the experience was obvious to those that were fortunate enough to hear them. 

After Pauline graduated from Riley Rural High School in 1947, she met the love of her life, James “Wayne” Shortle who was an Electrical Engineering student at Kansas State in Manhattan. Wayne had served in WW2 in the Naval Air Force and was at school courtesy of the GI bill. Pauline and Wayne married in 1949 and moved to Topeka, KS upon Wayne’s graduation. They were blessed with their first child Cindy in Topeka in 1950. 

The family moved with Wayne’s career to the Poughkeepsie, NY area in 1951. Pauline and Wayne’s second child, Wayne, was born in 1959. The family of 4 moved to Seabrook, TX in 1963 where Wayne was working for IBM’s Federal Systems Division whose primary customer was NASA’s space programs, particularly the Apollo program. 

Pauline and Wayne settled into raising the family from 1963 forward. They were very active in the Seabrook United Methodist Church including teaching Sunday school together for well over a decade. Pauline put her talents to work, green thumb and otherwise, into the Timber Cove Garden Club and Civic Club. She was also active in diverse activities ranging from painting to bowling to bridge in her ”spare“ time. Pauline was also a member of the Philanthropic Education Organization (PEO) which provides educational opportunities for women. 

As her children became more independent Pauline took a job as a floor rep at Sakowitz Department store where she worked from the mid 1970’s into the mid 1980’s. She was good at the job and ultimately was promoted to a buyers role and even made a buying trip to Spain at one point. Pauline and Wayne always remained active in the church throughout. 

Wayne passed in 1992 and Pauline lived in the family home in Seabrook until 2021 where she continued to work and remain active at the church. Pauline moved to live with her son and his wife Joanna in 2021 where she lived until her passing. 

Pauline was preceded in death by her husband Wayne, her sister Barbara, and her grandson Isaac Zito. 

Pauline’s loving survivors include her son and daughter, daughter in law, two grandchildren (J.W. and Lilly), one great grandson (Felix), sister (Carolyn), nephew (Jeff), and niece (Ravay).

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home with Pastor Kevin Larson officiating.  Burial will be in the Riley Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that you consider a gift in celebration of Pauline’s life to the Alzheimer's Association (https://www.alz.org). Contributions may be left in care of the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home