Pauline Blanton

Pauline Blanton (Covert, Brooks) Polly was born March 11, 1917 in San Angelo, Texas to Mary Yates Blanton and George Ernest Blanton. She is survived by her sister, Mary Auler; her youngest son, Ira Jon Yates and his wife Roxanne of Austin, Texas; daughter, Clare Chastain and granddaughter Stephanie Chastain of Girdwood, Alaska; oldest son, Paul Blanton Covert and his wife Cindy and grandson Colton of Leander, Texas; her granddaughter, Laura Brooks of Virginia. Polly moved to Austin from San Angelo where she attended Austin High School. She was a member of the Red Dragon Drama Group. She was also a member of Kappa Alpha Theta at Northwestern University and the University of Texas. She was a long time resident of Austin. In 1945 she purchased a large ranch in Southwestern Travis County that she named the Circle C Ranch where she raised registered Herefords and her three children. She was a long time member of The Junior Helping Hand and attended services at the First Church of Christ Scientist. Polly was a world traveler. She had a lifelong love for Switzerland which she fell in love with after the First World War returning stateside only after her Mother demanded because of the pending Second World War. She returned to her adopted country of Switzerland successively over the next 60 years living years at a time in the grandest hotels, most recently on the lake at the Hotel Luzern Schweizerhof where she considered all the staff her family. Polly's wanderlust took her to second homes in Hawaii (1951-1957), Houston (1960-1963), Scottsdale, Arizona, Vail, Colorado (1974-1998) where she owned and operated the exclusive Meadow Vail Place, and most recently in Tucson at her beloved "Casa Viejo". In the 1960s Polly returned to Iraan, Texas where she co-owned the Yates Pecos Ranch on which the famed Yates Oil Field is located. She told stories of traveling with her grandfather, a great influence in her life, to his ranches throughout Texas. In Iraan she worked in cooperation with the Texas General Land office, Texas Railroad Commission and Marathon Oil Company to initiate environmental restoration along the Pecos River. Her roots are in Iraan and she spent a lifetime tending to her business there. After leaving her Austin ranch, Polly always considered Iraan her home and completed her new Pecos River Mountain house just last year. Polly's connection to nature was exhibited through her love of the Swiss and Colorado mountains and through her purchase and sustainable agricultural operation of the Circle C Ranch in Travis County. She dedicated 312 acres to the City of Austin for the Slaughter Creek Metropolitan Park. Most recently she cared for and protected a unique piece of Arizona desert, her Casa Viejo property in suburban northwest Tucson. In which she donated the use of to the Dr. Andrew Weil Program for Integrative Medicine. Polly considered Casa Viejo her Temple. Polly's life work was the pursuit of a spiritual life. She was a spiritual seeker. Her spiritual journey began with reading her mother's religious books. She joined the Christian Science Church in 1951. Her initial fascination with the spiritual world in Egypt began with a Bible Lands tour in 1963. She moved on to study with Max Kapler in California in early 1970s. Polly sailed the seas with Carl Sagan discussing the Cosmos and was a member of his Planetary Society. She always returned to Egypt, which she considered to be the Sacred Source. Her study of R.A. Schwaller De Lubicz and his work took her back to Egypt many times. Most recently she was in Luxor during the tragic event at Queen Hatshepsuts Palace. While all other tourists fled the country she remained and rebuffed President Mubarak when he wanted to occupy her room, the Presidential Suites at the Luxor Hotel for the official memorial ceremonies. She maintained that if he wanted to exhibit calm and security to the world and help save the country's most important tourist industry, he should not force her to move. He agreed and made other arrangements. The study of Sacred Science sustained Polly throughout the last 30 years of her life. She wrote volumes of notes and collected a library full of works including original works by Schwaller De Lubicz. Nature and the natural order of the universe filled her life at Polly's Temple, Casa Viejo Tucson in her last years and days. Although she was impatient with material man, she had hope for spiritual man and would never turn down an opportunity to express her understanding and belief in Sacred Science. Sacred Science is what sustained her on her final journey into the Cosmos. Polly's presence was felt wherever she was and will truly be missed by many. Burial will be in Fairmont Cemetery in the Ira G. and Annie YATES family plot at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, February 25, 2008. Services under the direction of Robert Massie Funeral Home. Donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to: Southwest Indian Foundation, P.O. Box 86 Gallup New Mexico 87302-0001 or Disabled American Veterans P.O. Box 14301 Cincinnati, Ohio 45250-0301. Pauline's obituary and memorial guestbook may be viewed online at www.RobertMassie.com