Obituary of Pauline M Barrom

Our dear mother, Pauline Barrom, passed away on Sunday January 22, 2023 at the noble age of 99 at her home in the Alpine Way Continuing Care Community in Shelton, Washington. Pauline was born August 26, 1923 in Centralia, WA and spent her childhood in the nearby community of Fords Prairie with parents, Horace & Helen VanLiew, and sister, Nadine. Following her graduation from Centralia High School in 1940 and attendance at the local community college, Pauline moved to Shelton to live with her aunt, Bertha Cameron, who owned and operated the Cameron Hotel, (formerly located on the corner of W Grove & S 2nd St). Fate led her to a job at Seafirst Bank (now Bank of America) – a job that followed her to the Seafirst branch in Pullman, WA where she worked while attending Washington State College (now WSU). While at WSC she met her future husband James (Jim) Barrom at a USO dance. She and Jim settled in Shelton where Jim worked for Simpson Timber Company and Pauline worked at Seafirst Bank. They raised 4 children and celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary just before Jim passed away in 1993. Pauline was a loving mom with the gift of patience, athleticism, a competitive spirit and a heart for service. She greeted everyone with a welcoming smile and a sense of humor. In her younger years Mom volunteered for PTA, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and more. She was a member of the United Methodist Church, serving in several ministries and singing in the choir. A creative person, Mom enjoyed many hobbies including sewing, gardening and crafting. Known for her homemade cookies, she always had some on hand to share. Pauline’s true passion was writing. She wrote several unpublished novels and delighted in seeing some of her short stories appear in well-known periodicals. In the late 1970’s she wrote a musical called “Gypsy Fantasy” with a fellow choir member that was performed for the public at the Shelton High School theatre. In later years Mom continued to live an active and enriching life of travel, social events, volunteering, and spending time with friends and family. As age sadly robbed mom of her memory in her final few years, her cheery smile and kind and welcoming spirit stayed with her till her final days. Pauline is preceded in death by her husband, James Barrom, her parents, Horace & Helen VanLiew, sister and brother-in-law, Nadine & James Weil, and daughter-in-law Trish Barrom. Pauline will be dearly missed by her 4 children and spouses Dan (Larraine), Linda (Paul), Al (Chris) & Marie (Dave); her niece Deb (Chuck), nephew Fred (Marsha), daughter-in-law Kathy; grandchildren Jeff, Dianne, Danielle, Wendy, DuJuana, Blake, Paul Jr, Michelle, Chris, Jimmy, Jason, Nick, Andrew, Scott, and Mattea as well as numerous great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, beloved friends and many others including the wonderful staff at Alpine Way who cared for Pauline in her final years. A service to celebrate Pauline’s life will be held SATURDAY, MARCH 4th at 11:00 am at the United Methodist Church at 1900 King Street in Shelton. Please share a memory of Pauline at: https://mccombwagner.com/tribute/details/4880/Pauline-Barrom/condolences.html#content-start