Pauline Crisman

Obituary Pauline Crisman, age 80, passed away March 10, 2018 at Lakeview Christian Home. She was born in Denton, Texas to Cleo Merk Burk and William Alexander Howell. Her mother, a housewife, had been born in Vernon, Texas and her father, a Civilian Conservation Corp enrollee, had been born in Boling Green, Kentucky. When Pauline was born, her mother was 28 years old and her father was 48. Pauline's father died in an accident when Pauline was one year old, and her mother was unable to care for her because of long term health problems. Pauline raised by her great aunt and great uncle, Grace Mansfield Cox and Samuel E. Cox. They lived in Amarillo, Texas where Mr. Cox worked for the Southwestern Public Service Company. In 1943, they moved to Carlsbad, NM when Mr. Cox became the Distribution Superintendent for SWPS, now Xcel Energy. Pauline graduated from Carlsbad Senior High School in May 1956 and attended Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas 1956-1958. She married Bob. Crisman, a Tour Leader Supervisor at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in 1959. In 1960, they moved to Montezuma Castle National Monument in Arizona. In 1965, they transferred to Fort Davis National Historic Site in Texas. In 1970, Bob and Pauline returned to the Carlsbad Caverns National Park where Bob was Park Naturalist, and later Management Assistant for both Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks. Bob and Pauline had one daughter, Cathy, who was born in Cottonwood, Arizona in 1962. Cathy graduated from CHS in 1981, attended NMSU-Carlsbad for two years, and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Houston in 1986. Cathy died in 1990. Pauline worked as a cashier at K-Mart in Carlsbad and previously at Burger King. She was a member of the Carlsbad Medical Center Auxiliary in the 1970s and 1980s and worked as a volunteer for the Carlsbad Caverns Natural History Association in the 1970s. Bob and Pauline were members of the Sunset Church of Christ. Pauline was preceded in death by her daughter, Cathy. She is survived by her husband, Bob; grandson, Chris Crisman-Cox of Guelph, Ontario, Canada; grandson, Casey Crisman-Cox of St. Louis, MO and her sister, Helen Bryan of Houston, Texas. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Sunset Church of Christ, 1308 W. Blodgett Street, Carlsbad, NM 88220 Private services will be held. Condolences may be expressed at dentonwood.com To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Pauline Crisman, please visit our floral store.