Mrs. Pauline Truax's Obituary
Pauline Marturano Truax, daughter of Ellis Island Sicilian immigrants Giovanni (John) and Josephine Gariffa Marturano, was born in Rome, New York on September 5, 1924 and departed this life early Monday morning November 6, 2017 in St. Petersburg, Florida. She was 93 years old.
Pauline spent the first 47 years of her life living in upstate New York. She was Roman Catholic and an active member of St. John the Baptist Church and St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Rome, NY for all of those years. She married the love of her life, William Truax of Cohoes, NY in Rome on June 28, 1945. Bill was a US Navy veteran of WW II. Faith, family, and Country were strong values of their life together. Both Bill and Pauline were passionate about life and this passion brought them many life experiences and friends. They had four children born in New York. Extended family on both sides enriched their lives any time they could get together. They loved traveling to historical sites and camping out with their family. Some of the families would live in a tent during July and August on Lake Ontario. Bill was a civilian employee of the Air Force and Pauline helped supplement their income as a waitress. She was always a warm and conversational hostess to her customers and because of this she was well known in the area.
In 1970 Bill was transferred by the Air Force from Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome to Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base in the Kansas City, Missouri area. The family made their home in Shawnee, Kansas. Due to illness Bill retired in 1974 and moved the family that was still home to St. Petersburg, Florida to be near Bill’s brother Albert Truax who worked for The St. Petersburg Times. They continued to enjoy traveling and visiting family all over the US. Pauline was well known for any meal she cooked, but family and friends came from all over to eat her pizza.
During all these years, Bill and Pauline were faithful members of the Roman Catholic Church. Bill passed away in 1993. Pauline worked well into her 80s demonstrating samples in local grocery stores (especially Publix), frequently swimming, and living independently. She would boast of the great joy she had being a part of her grandchildren’s lives—in California, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Florida. For most of her life Pauline was devoted to prayer for her family and friends and friends of friends! She continued in this to the end of her time on the earth.
In addition to her parents and husband of 48 years, Pauline was preceded in death by six sisters Anna DeMare (Rosario), Angeline Marturano, Mary Tuzzolino (Dominick), Sara Messineo (Joe), Emily Oleksik (Frank), and Tina (Concetta) Kurowski (Walt) and one brother Jerry Marturano (Nellie).
Survivors include three daughters: Paula Neely (Don) of Beaumont, CA, JoAnn Thurman (John) of Ellsinore, MO, and Marian Johnis (Stephen) of Tulsa, OK; one son, William A. Truax (Lynn) of St.Petersburg, Fl. 12 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
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