Pauline Parker Eplee

She was born September 6, 1918 in Belmont, N.C. to William Espy Parker and Mary Lee Painter. She was the youngest of four children which included two brothers, Lawrence and Delmas and a sister, Catherine. She graduated from Belmont High School in May of 1935 with a straight A average.

She married Lawrence Paul Eplee in Maiden, N.C. on December 23, 1939. They had been childhood sweethearts and first met in school when Pauline was eight and Paul was ten.

They moved to Baltimore, Maryland in 1941 shortly after their first daughter, Ronda, was born. They remained there throughout WWII. Pauline worked in the shipyards as a draftsman during the War building ships for the War effort and they owned the Arundel, a soda-sandwich shop in the Curtis Bay Area near the shipyards.

Later Paul and Pauline owned a truck farm in Florida. They returned to N.C. in 1948. In 1949, a second daughter, Kathy was born.

In 1960, the family moved to Killeen, Texas. Paul and Pauline owned three Paul’s Chevron Service Stations and Garages, and later the Paul-Mark Apartments, in Killeen.

Pauline was at one time, a member of the Eastern Star and numerous Bridge Clubs. She was a past member of the Castle Heights Garden Club where she won many blue ribbons at the annual flower shows. She was active in Church Women United in the 1970’s and as served as a Block Chairman for the March of Dimes for over 20 years.

She was an active member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Killeen and was the Past President of the St. Joseph Altar and Rosary Society. She served many years as the Sunshine Chairman of that organization. She was a past Social Chairman for various church activities and an elected member of the Parish Church Council Board for several years. Pauline was Past President of the Temple Deanery Council of Catholic Women and Family Concerns Chairman for the Austin Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. She was also an active member in the Parent Teacher Council at St. Joseph Catholic School in the 1960’s.

Pauline’s favorite hobby was reading. Being an avid reader, she read at least two books a week all of her life. She was an excellent cook, seamstress, and crocheted beautiful baby sweaters and blankets. Most importantly, she was a beautiful Christian woman to whom many came for her bounty of wisdom. There was no finer wife, mother or grandmother. Her family is extremely saddened by her passing but rejoicing as she enters her heavenly home.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul; her grandson Mark David McClarren; her son-in-law, Lewis McClarren, her parents, two brothers and a sister. She is survived by her two daughters, Ronda Eplee McClarren and Kathy Eplee Schwertner; her son-in-law, Bernie Schwertner; two grandchildren, Paul Eplee Schwertner and Marilee Schwertner, all of Killeen and a great grandson, Matthew Paul Schwertner, of Spring, Texas.

On Friday, December 10, 2010 the family will receive visitors at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church beginning at 6 p.m. followed by the recitation of the Rosary at 7 p.m. A mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Killeen on Saturday, December 11, 2010 at 2 p.m. Interment will follow at the Killeen City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to Pauline’s two favorite charities: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 50, Memphis, TN 38101-9929 and St. Joseph’s Indian School, Chamberlain, SD 57326