Pauline Maridon (Durbin) Mills

PAULINE MARIDON MILLS, 93, has arrived at her final DESTINATION. After living every day like it was her last, Pauline entered heaven on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, to join her beloved husband, Paul, whom she had missed greatly for the last 17 years.

Pauline was born on February 27, 1929, to Paul and Clara Chenoweth Durbin (Deyo).  She is survived by daughters Debbie (John) Damron, Ottawa, Illinois, Mary (Bill) Meinhardt, Hamilton, Illinois, brothers Ken (Diane) Durbin, Clarksville, Texas and Gary Deyo, Keokuk, Iowa. Grandchildren Paul (Gina) Meinhardt, Rosemount, Minnesota, DJ (Chrissy) Roan, Hamilton, Illinois, Derek Damron, Saint Paul, Minnesota, Carleigh (Alan) Damron, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Great grandchildren Taylor (Jesse) Meinhardt and son Carter, Rosemount, Minnesota, Marcee Meinhardt, Santa Cruz, California, Madison Martin and Noah Martin and their parents Kim and Justin Upmeyer, West Des Moines, Iowa.  Pauline is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. 

Preceding her in death were her husband Paul, brothers Ron Durbin and Steve Durbin and grandson Dave Martin.

Pauline graduated from Perry, Illinois High School in 1947 as co-valedictorian and then attended Gem City Business College in Quincy, Illinois where she honed her business skills that served her well during her career.  In 1948 she married Paul Mills at the Vermont Street Methodist Church in Quincy. Paul and Pauline moved to Warsaw in 1952 where Pauline has lived in the same house her entire adult life!

Pauline’s mother, Clara, later lovingly called “Deyo”, lived in Keokuk for decades and throughout that time, the two of them were extremely close. Between the two of them, they had three babies within 11 1/2 months so their mother/daughter relationship flourished. During her mother’s life, they spent countless days enjoying life to the fullest. Deyo cooked for holidays, baked family birthday cakes, babysat the granddaughters during summers while Pauline worked and the love they shared increased. Deyo eventually moved in with Paul and Pauline for a number of years; and when she entered a nursing home, Pauline visited three times every day until her mother passed in 2002.

Pauline loved working and was a natural saleswoman, working at Montgomery Wards for 20 years and Walmart for another 20!  Her customers were most important, knowing that customer service was of utmost importance if a company was to survive and flourish. 

She also loved traveling! Her various trips included Europe, Jakarta, Indonesia, Bali and Singapore, Niagara Falls, live Broadway shows in Chicago, New York and Las Vegas.  Other favorite trips were Mt Rushmore and Grand Canyon where she and daughters rode mules down to the bottom and stayed overnight at Phantom Ranch. Another exciting trip was to China, with three generations, Pauline, Debbie and Carleigh where they walked on the Great Wall.  This trip was a lifelong goal of Pauline’s from the time her father gave her a book on China as a child.

Classic country was her favorite form of music, and she was able to attend many variety shows in Branson, Memphis and Nashville with Mary and Bill. Pauline was intrigued with space exploration and shared this interest with her brother Gary, often times view the skies together.  She had a passion for movies with her brothers Steve and Ken because of their dad’s lifelong career operating movie theaters.

Her greatest love was spending time with her daughters and their families, especially holiday gatherings.

Pauline was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church in Warsaw.

A celebration of life will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, May 27, 2023, at Printy Funeral Home in Warsaw, with burial to follow at Oakland Cemetery in Warsaw. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 1 to 2 pm on Saturday directly before the service. The family invites everyone to dress casually in Pauline’s memory.

Memorials may be directed to Blessing Hospice of Quincy or Trinity United Methodist Church in Warsaw.

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