Pauline Laverna Kremer

Pauline Laverna (Johnson) Kremer, 93, died peacefully on April 1, 2023 in Beaumont, Texas. Pauline was born Dec. 12, 1929, in Dix, (Kimball County) Nebraska, the daughter of Oscar Edward Johnson and Ebba (Nilsson) Johnson. The family moved to Ludington in 1931 where Pauline spent her childhood in rural Ludington. Pauline graduated from Ludington High School in 1947 and attended Muskegon School of Business in Muskegon.

An adventurous Pauline, at age 19, in 1949 went to work for the federal government in Alaska. She climbed mountains, cross country skied and was a charter member for the first ski club in Juneau.

She married U.S. Coast Guardsmen Bill Kremer in Alaska in 1954. Their military time was spent with the Coast Guard in Puerto Rico, Traverse City, Seattle, Washington and New Bedford, Massachusetts. They retired to La Crosse, Wisconsin, in 1966. Bill preceded her in death in 1994.

Pauline is survived by her daughters Kristine Kremer (Randal) Ogrydziak of Texas and Victoria Kremer Etters of Illinois; four grandsons Vaughn, Noah, Sumner (Alyssa) and Cole (Autumn) Ogrydziak; and her sister Glenna (Stanley) Uyeda of Orange, California, the Barbarow family, as well as nieces, nephews and dear cousins.

Pauline was preceded in death by four siblings: brothers Andrew Johnson and Kenneth Johnson of Ludington, Harvey Johnson of Spring Lake, sister Evelyn Fearnow of Ludington, and companion Jim Barbarow of Orange, California.

Pauline was a devoted mother, grandmother and friend. She was a lifelong learner; she took pleasure in listening to educational lectures through the audio/video "Great Courses."

Grandma (Polly) Pauline made several trips to Hawaii to help in the rearing of her four grandsons. Pauline and her companion Jim Barbarow spent many years cruising the world. Pauline thoroughly enjoyed playing the accordion and piano, reading the classics, working puzzles and playing cards.

Pauline was a whole-body donor for medical research and education. No funeral is planned.