Obituary: Pauline Grace (Minar) Nottingham

Pauline Grace (Minar) Nottingham February 23, 1920 to October 18, 2018,

Pauline Grace (Minar) Nottingham was born February 23, 1920, in Plainwell, MI daughter of Alex and Helen (Richmond) Minar of Gun Plains Twp. where she spent her childhood. She died October 18, 2018 after a brief stay at Sparrow Hospital, Lansing, Michigan.

She attended Bellingham Grade School district # 6 in Gun Plains Twp. After graduation as  salutatorian of the class of 1936 from Plainwell High School, she attended Davenport McLaughlan Institute affiliated with Grand Rapids College of  Applied Science in Grand Rapids, MI.

Prior to her marriage she was employed by Budd Jewelry and Michigan  Interstate Trucking Company in Kalamazoo, MI.

On March  1, 1941 she was married at the home of her parents to  Alvin Lee “Bill” Nottingham who preceded her in death on March 21, 2000.

After they moved to White Oak in 1948 she volunteered as a sewing leader for the White Oak 4-H Club in Ingham County for 15 years. She also enjoyed having grandchildren for week long summer visits.  She was a member of the Millville Extension Club for many years.

She was elected White Oak Twp. Treasurer and served in that position on the Township Board until her employment with the Ingham County Treasurer’s office. She retired in December 1987 as Senior Deputy Treasurer with 19 years of service.

With her husband she owned and operated White Oak Antiques in her home for many years, enjoying attending auction and garage sales to build her inventory.  She especially liked old books.  Auctioneers could count on her to ‘give a dollar’ for almost any box of books. She sold an uncounted number of books in her shop and on Ebay. She had nearly 1000 books on hand when she closed her shop.

Pauline enjoyed reading and sewing.  She had a large collection of flow blue china and other antiques. She spent many hours working on the genealogies of her family and the family of her husband progressing from saving on a floppy disc to utilizing the Internet for research, cataloging and information sharing.  She built an extensive library of nearly 50 notebooks documenting her work.

She loved puzzles and games all of her life – from playing canasta with her father and many different games with her children and family to  Ticket to Ride ‘for relaxation ‘ well into her 90’s with anyone who would play. She was a serious player, commenting once that she wished she had never taught her children to talk as talking slowed the game down.

Pauline lived in her rural Stockbridge home until age 96 when she moved across Cooper Road living with her daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Al until her death.  There she enjoyed watching birds in the feeders and birdhouses Al provided outside her window as well as visits from family and friends.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Jack Minar, sister Lois Cutcher, niece Sandra Nottingham Flannery, nephew Jeffrey Cutcher, great granddaughter, Jeorgia Rouse and niece SuZelle Nottingham

She is survived by children:  Mary Ann (George)  Rouse of  Versailles, Missouri, Thomas (Lena) of San Diego, CA and Susan (Susie, Su) Nottingham  and husband Allen Craven of Stockbridge, MI.

Grandchildren:  Jana (Andy) Shannon,  Gilbert, AZ; Danyele Nottingham Vine, Chandler, AZ; Jennifer Rouse, Colorado Springs, CO; Dawn Nottingham Janowski, Oakley, CA; Zachary (Jessica Irish) Misener, Portland,  OR; Scott (Monica) Craven, Stockbridge, MI and Ryan (Amy) Craven, Ontario, Canada.

Great-Grandchildren:  Rylee Nottingham and Mason Vine, Chandler, AZ; Hayden Jackson and Shane Lopes, Oakley, CA; Bailey and Denali Craven, Stockbridge, MI and Liam and Dylan Craven, Ontario, Canada.

Special niece Nancy (Bud) Dockter, Traverse City, MI and nephew James Nottingham, Stockbridge, who grew up next door; nephews Glen (Marlene) Cutcher, Cambridge, WI and Steve (Mindy) Cutcher, Oreland, PA and many other cousins, nieces and nephews.

A memorial celebration of Pauline’s life for family and friends will be held on 11:00 a.m. Sunday, December 16 at  4665 Cooper Rd, Stockbridge Michigan.  She will be buried next to Bill in the Fairview Cemetery, Dansville, Michigan.

In lieu of flowers checks written to “Habitat For Humanity” may be sent to Mary Ann Nottingham Rouse, 4665 Cooper Road, Stockbridge, 49285.  Your donation will support Pauline’s granddaughter’s Habitat International Global Village Build in Lesotho, Africa.

She was a good wife, a kind person and the “Best Mom in the World.”