Catherine Pauline Stockbauer (née Jones), our beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, left us on April 5, 2026, at the age of 80. She is survived by her loving husband of 54 years, Roger; her three children, Robbin Kemp (Brian), Kathryn (Casey), and Marc (Iris), and six grandchildren, Hailey, Kaitlyn, Jackson, Daniel, Evalyn, and Adrian. Pauline was born in Trinity, Alabama on October 18, 1945, to Olivette (Pruett) and Paul Jones. The family moved to Hammond, Indiana when Pauline was six so her father could find work in the steel mills. Pauline would eventually take a job as a secretary in the physics department at the University of Chicago. There she would meet a handsome young physics graduate student (Roger) and the rest, as they say, is history. Pauline’s life was defined by many things, but the most prominent was her love for her family. Determined to be a known and present entity in the lives of her grandchildren, Pauline made it a priority to be there for birthdays, holidays, and other milestones, even with two children on opposite coasts. The bonds she forged with her children and grandchildren, and the many memories made, will be cherished for their lifetimes.
Pauline will also be remembered for her voracious appetite for reading (with a strong preference for anything about the history of England, the history of religion, and who-done-its), and her adventurous spirit. She was up for (almost) anything when it came to travel. She visited all 50 states – even driving from California to Alaska! – explored Europe extensively, and returned to her beloved Great Britain repeatedly.
At the heart of this amazing woman was her fierce loyalty and unconditional love. But anyone who knew her will also remember her frankness, sense of humor, quick wit, and her innate ability to see people for who they were. She did not suffer fools and made life-long friends. She was a force of love and pragmatism and will be greatly missed.
A service to celebrate Pauline’s life will be held on June 7, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Parkway Funeral Home in Trinity, Alabama. Immediately following the service, family and friends are invited to join us at Grange Hall, the family cemetery in Trinity. Pauline wished to return to her southern roots and join her mother and father, and brothers, Gerald, Glenn, Tommy, and William.
