Pauline Hanlin

Pauline M. Hanlin, 91 of Kearney, passed away Wednesday, December 27, 2023 at St. John’s Good Samaritan Home in Kearney. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, January 4, 2024 O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home in Kearney. Interment will take place at the Kearney cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services are entrusted to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services. Pauline Hanlin was our Mom and our friend. She was also a mother and friend to many others across the U.S. and around the world. It is a wonder that a girl who grew up in rural Nebraska could meet so many people from other places, without traveling any further than her own front porch. Mom was born in Saint Louis, Missouri on November 26, 1932 to Arthur Lawrence and Rosa Jane (Hoyt) Rudiger. She was the third of nine children born into this family. The Rudigers moved to southeast Nebraska, where Mom spent her early childhood on the farm. The Rudigers moved to Clay Center when Mom was around eleven years old. She graduated from the Clay Center high school in 1950. She moved to Geneva after graduation. It was here that she met and married our Dad, James E. “Jim” Hanlin. They were married in Clay Center in 1953. Five children were born to this union: Dorothy Denise in 1954, Jayne Ann in 1956, Judith Marie “Judy” in 1957, Terence James “TJ” in 1959 and Paul Thomas in 1962. Our family moved to Fairbury around 1960. Among some of our memories of home were: singing along with Mom while she played the piano, singing with each other while our brother and our Mom played guitar, card games around our dining room table, and camping at Crystal Springs on weekends. Mom’s early travels began when she worked with HEP students (High School Equivalency Program) in the early seventies. These were kids from other states, who came to the Fairbury jr. college to complete their high school education. There were also international students attending the jr. college who were frequent visitors to our home. Among these, were students from Japan who had learned English in school, but wanted additional help in learning to converse in English. We kids enjoyed helping in this task. We also enjoyed learning about other cultures. Mom and Dad divorced in 1975 and Mom never remarried. She moved to Kearney around 1981 and spent the rest of her life here. She continued to open her home to students who attended Kearney State. Mom was a part of the International Student Friendship Program. She especially enjoyed her Japanese and Panamanian students. She also had cherished friendships with several students from Nepal. She continued to keep in touch with her “kids” well after they had graduated and had moved back home, or to other places in the U.S. and started families of their own. She had scrapbooks full of photographs and cards from her “family” across the world. Mom also had many special friends here in Kearney. She attended the First Baptist Church, worked at the Corral Cafe, Dr. Martin Tillley’s, and the Lighthouse Counseling Center. She won the Kearney Freedom Award in 1999. Mom was also an artist and one of her favorite mediums was quilting. She made many beautiful quilts, stitched all by hand and given to her family and friends throughout the years. Her last few years were spent in Saint John’s Nursing Home. Mom was preceded in death by three of her children: Paul in 1962, Dorothy in 1981, and T. J. in 1990; and seven brothers and sisters. Jim Hanlin died in 2004. Mom was preceded in death by three of her children: Paul in 1962, Dorothy in 1981, and T. J. in 1990; and seven brothers and sisters. Jim Hanlin died in 2004. She is survived by her daughters: Jayne (Glen) Wiese and Judy (Mark) Kolling, sister Jean (John) Wright , grandchildren Jeremiah (Heather) Gifford, Benjamin (Lindsay) Gifford and Asher (partner Liz) Gifford, Emily (Bobi Lee) Wiese; great grandchildren: Teyha, Charlotte, Alice, Bodhi and Kylie and great great grandchild Ayla. Just as I am, thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; because thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Charlotte Elliott Written by her daughters Jayne and Judy

Pauline Hanlin

November 26, 1932 - December 27, 2023