Pauline Birdsall
Memory Folder
August 3, 1951 - March 16, 2022
When reflecting on the life of Pauline Birdsall, it is easy to
see that there was no greater gift in her life than her family. She
treasured her roles as a wife and mother; however, she would have argued
that nothing was better than becoming a “Nona” to her two beloved
grandchildren. Meticulous, organized, and hardworking, Pauline gave
everything she did her very best, and she expected the same from her
sons. Life will never be the same without her here, and she leaves
behind a timeless legacy that her loved ones will proudly carry on in
her footsteps.
The 1950s brought us some exciting days. James Dean and Marilyn
Monroe were big names in Hollywood while Elvis Presley took the music world
by storm. By the end of decade, we had become a nation of 50 states with the
additions of both Alaska and Hawaii. As summer was drawing to a close,
Joseph D. and Rose Marie Tavolacci Schiavone were eagerly awaiting the birth
of their new baby in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1951. Their wait was finally
over when the baby girl they named Pauline made her arrival on August 3rd.
She was one of four as she was raised in the family home alongside her
siblings, Louise, Patrina and Albert. Her father was a photographer, and
Pauline loved going with him to his studio.
In many ways Pauline was a typical young girl of her generation.
She was raised in the Catholic faith, which was the cornerstone on which her
entire life was built. As a student Pauline attended St. Augustine School
and graduated from O’Brien High School in 1969. While in high school she had
an opportunity to travel to Europe, visiting six different countries.
New and exciting changes were in store for Pauline when she met the
man with whom she would share the best years of her life. His name was John
Birdsall, and they met while working together at Ridgeview Manor nursing
home. However, John always said they met in high school, which was something
Pauline never did recall. The couple began spending time together, and after
dating for five years they were married on November 16, 1974. Together they
welcomed two children, David in 1977 and Joseph in 1986, into their hearts
and home.
There was never anything that was more important to Pauline than
her family. As a mother she had high expectations for her boys, and she
didn’t give them much slack when things weren’t quite up to par. Pauline was
heavily involved in their school as they attended St. Joseph School where
she was head of the PTO and was a playground supervisor. She believed in the
values of the church and made it a priority for her boys to have these same
values as part of their education. As a family they loved spending summers
at their cottage on the island at Pine Lake. These were always a great time
of bonding as a family and where Pauline’s gift of hospitality could truly
shine. Although she traveled to Europe among other places, Pine Lake was
Pauline’s favorite place on earth. She always had an open door, and everyone
who visited was always well fed. Pauline was fantastic at making traditional
Italian foods, and cooking for the ones she cared about was one of the ways
she told them they were loved. Even though these Italian foods were her
mainstay, she was open to trying new things, too.
Later in life Pauline was filled with unspeakable joy to become a
grandmother. Pauline loved taking care of her grand kids and went above and
beyond in spoiling them with “Nona’s” love and gifts. Through the life she
lived, she showed that family is everything. Pauline was forever taking care
of people and showing them how much they were cherished. A very expressive
and strong communicator, she regularly made calls and sent messages to her
family and friends. She told them she loved them so often, it is one of the
ways she will be best remembered. These weren’t just words to Pauline as she
truly meant them.
Throughout her life, Pauline liked using her time and talents to
stay busy. She was highly motivated and took the initiative to make sure
things got done. This happened regularly when Pauline worked as the
executive administrative assistant at Safety Services. She was the one to
organize the company potluck as well as orchestrate company sales meetings
and exhibitions. In her rare moments of downtime, Pauline enjoyed watching
old westerns and cooking shows.
All who knew Pauline Birdsall would agree that she was truly
beautiful on the inside and out; every day she lived her faith and values.
She had an amazing quality to see each person who came into her world, as
warm and wonderful human beings and loved them uniquely. She nurtured and
cared for others and was happiest when surrounded by family and friends.
Deeply loved, she will be forever missed.