Caroline Paulsen

Caroline Paulsen was born on December 12, 1915 in Bashaw Township, Brown County, MN, the daughter of Fred and Lizzie (Beckman) Mielke. She attended country school and graduated from Springfield High School in 1933. Caroline completed nurses training in Kansas City, MO in 1939. After which, she worked at V.A. Hospitals in Kansas City and Wichita. She enlisted and served in the U.S. Army from 1942 until 1946. Caroline was married twice; with her first husband, Joseph Buff, she had a daughter, Karen; with her second husband, Gustave Paulsen, she had a son, Kenneth. Caroline worked at the Springfield Community Hospital for 22 years, volunteered with Hospice and St. John Lutheran Home, and was Brown County's Senior Citizen of the Year in 2001. She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Springfield and the Springfield American Legion. Caroline enjoyed crafts, gardening, baking, and traveling. Caroline died on Monday, April 27, 2009 at the St. John Lutheran Home in Springfield at the age of 93 years. She is survived by her children - Karen King of Georgetown, TX and Kenneth (Julie) Paulsen and their son - John of Inver Grove Heights, MN. She is preceded in death by her parents; husband - Gustave; brothers- Benjamin, Otto, Ralph, Leonard, Harry, John, and Clarence; sisters - Edna Yungerberg, Bessie Martin, and Elda Keim; and a son-in-law - Peter King.