Augusta Paulina Setala

Pauline A. Setala was born on April 29, 1916 to Mary Saari and Gust Forsman at the family farm in Rosburg. She passed away August 10, 2010 at University Place Care Center in Tacoma.

She went to a one room school house on Eden Valley Road. She had to walk several miles on cow trails through woods and farm lands to get to school. She was of Finnish/German heritage. Finnish was spoken at home and she learned the English language when she went to school. She continued with school up to the eighth grade and then stayed home to help on the family farm.

When Pauline was 18 she married John Setala, a childhood friend. They set up housekeeping in Eden Valley. Pauline was a stay at home wife and mother. They had three children, Kenneth of Naselle, James (Donna) of Chehalis and Carol (Bill) Richter of Puyallup.

Pauline was widowed at a young age with a farm and three children to care for. Life was hard and money scarce. Pauline's various jobs included childcare/housekeeper for an oyster farmer who was a widower with three boys. After her children were raised, she moved to Astoria and worked as a housekeeper for Tongue Point Job Corps Center for several years when they just had boys. She befriended many of the young men and she had several small gifts from them that were tokens of their friendship. Pauline also worked as a dishwasher at the Poodle Dog restaurant in Fife for several years. Over the years, she would go back to visit and to see if her friend the "old cook" was still there--the one who made the most marvelous sourdough pancakes from a starter.

Upon retiring, she moved to Koontz Road in Chehalis on son James' property. She had her own mobile home, dogs, cats, bird houses that she built herself, a clothes line and she was happy. She lived there for a number of years then moved to an apartment building in Chehalis and then she moved up the hill to Providence Place.

She loved flowers and gardening. Pauline loved living at Providence Place as there was always someone to talk to and something to do. She had her own section in the garden to plant her Walla Walla sweets and cherry tomatoes. Pauline also loved to travel and over the years she visited California, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, Arizona and Canada.

Besides her two sons and daughter and their spouses, Pauline leaves behind four grandchildren and five great grandchildren, a niece and many great nieces and nephews. She also leaves behind good friends at Providence Place and the Richters who included her in all family gatherings.

A memorial service was held at Providence Place on September 8. On Sunday, October 31, 2010 her remains will be placed at the Eden Valley Cemetery in Rosburg at 1 p.m. with a reception following at the Lori and Gary Hamp residence in Eden Valley.