Coralee Elizabeth Paull

Coralee (nee Pollard) Paull reunited with her family in heaven on 18 November 2021. She was the dear wife of 55 years to the late Melvin Paull; loving mother of Lynda (Max) Ramsey, and Kathleen (the late Thomas) Schweich; dear grandmother of Daniel (Laura) Ramsey, Katie (Mark) Solomon, and Emilie and Thomas Schweich; great-grandmother to Zachary Worley, Anna and Cooper Ramsey, and Owen and Cora Solomon. Coralee was a loving sister to Jean Ellen Harper and the late Charlene Williams. Ever the loving daughter, sister, cousin, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend, we will all miss her.

The following quotes are excerpts from Coralee’s memoirs, A Farmer’s Daughter’s Memories. Her complete version is coming in 2022.

“You can take the girl off the farm, but you cannot take the farm out of the girl…My grand journey started in 1924, the year of my birth to Charles Franklin Pollard and Agnes Catherine Colson Pollard. I was the first of their three daughters, all born in Chariton County, Missouri. Life on a farm without electricity, compounded with a series of major droughts during the Great Depression, were demanding experiences that helped prepare me for the amazing life that lay ahead. My journey included a one-year stint in California, working in Kansas City, the challenges of World War II, my studies in Home Economics at the University of Missouri, working as a food technologist for Anheuser Busch, and over fifty years of marriage and life in St. Louis certainly provided this little country girl with a variety of unique experiences. They made me who I am!”

Coralee met the love of her life, Mel Paull, in 1944 at a Christmas party at the University of Missouri - Columbia. Within weeks of meeting, Mel started calling her Curly, a name that stuck for the rest of her life. Her “city boy with all his usual charm and grace” was a perfect match and a welcome addition to the Pollard family. Curly and Mel married in 1947 and had two daughters, Lynda and Kathy, along with many beloved pets. As a family they loved hiking in their St. Charles woods on Sundays and spending Saturday nights with their friends. Mel and Curly made many wonderful company dinners and complimented each other in the kitchen. Mel had a family furniture store, Fair Mercantile, but was an inventor at heart and had seven patents. He tinkered and Curly researched.

Coralee did much of her research in her basement office. But she was such a fixture at various libraries, she ate lunch with the staff. For Curly, a good day was finding a new cousin. About the only way to get her away from her research was a family dinner or going out to dinner with friends. She was a slow eater and savored every moment of each long meal with her loved ones.

“Through my endeavors in genealogy, history has come alive. In tracing my roots, I was fascinated to learn where my ancestors first settled in the new world. These were mysteries to be solved. For about twenty years I did historical and genealogical research for over 700 people for a nominal hourly fee. Among my clients were National Geographic, Anhuser Busch, A. E. Hotchner and Paul Edwards (brother of television celebrity Ralph Edwards). The urge to work on my own family history necessitated my retirement from this fun work.” Eventually Coralee validated her genalogical research and became a member of The DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) and The Colonial Daughters of the Seventeenth Century among other distinguished groups.

“Reviewing my memories of nine decades has truly been a rewarding experience for me. I have been blessed in so many ways. With so many, it has been difficult to decide which of my experiences to include. The one thing I have tried to emphasize is how my family and my extended family mean the world to me. For many years, I’ve so enjoyed our cousins’ reunions with the Pollard clan in Brookfield, Missouri. Visiting at the hotel after the dinner party at the restaurant, and often at breakfast have been fun and memorable weekends. Thank you for the memories. I think of you often.”

Coralee always had a positive outlook – even when she had to overcome Covid-19 at 96 years of age while isolated from her family. She never complained and was quick to remind her children and grandchildren, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” She had a great sense of humor and quick wit, preaching to any crabby descendants, “Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and you cry alone.” Coralee was gracious, loved company, and was a wonderful hostess. She belonged to a garden club and labored many hours in her beautiful yard. She loved her many indoor and outdoor plants but not as much as her beloved family tree!

Coralee cherished her family and friends and treasured the time she spent with them. Ninety-seven years was not long enough; she still wanted more time to “visit.” She was the original social butterfly, and she would strike up a conversation anywhere. Most of all she enjoyed talking about family genealogy.

“With all of the craziness in this world, we are so blessed to be a part of a loving extended Christian family in this great country. Life has been wonderful. Make use of every minute and thank God for his many blessings. My cousin, Evelyn Colson Johnson, recalled Grandpa recited this blessing at every evening meal—

‘Thank you Lord for this day.

Thank you Lord for this food.

Thank you Lord for this family. Amen’”