Pauline Campbell Cash

Pauline Campbell Cash, 91 of Eatonton, Georgia passed away on January 7th, 2024 surrounded by her loving family. She was born on February 27, 1932 in Sandersville, Georgia. The Sandersville United Methodist Church was her church home where she worshipped and sang in the choir. She was a 1949 graduate of Sandersville High School and was active in chorus, girls trio, and served on the yearbook and newspaper staff. At the age of seventeen, she boarded a bus for Atlanta to pursue a nursing degree at Georgia Baptist School of Nursing. On a blind date, she met Robert Cash, a young Georgia Tech student who was transferring to Baylor University in Waco, TX. If distance makes the heart grow fonder, then all those love letters sent from Texas and Georgia must have made the difference in Pauline accepting Robert’s marriage proposal. Not only would it mean Pauline would be leaving Georgia, but her future would include becoming a pastor’s wife. After completing her nursing degree, Robert and Pauline married December 21, 1952 at First Baptist Church in Eatonton where Pauline’s mother now lived. In Waco, Pauline worked at a hospital while Robert completed his degree at Baylor. Robert and Pauline then moved to Louisville, Kentucky for Robert to attend seminary and Pauline continued her nursing career at a VA Hospital. Robert’s first call to pastor a church was in Tombstone, Arizona where their first daughter, Pam was born. Pauline’s focus turned to a higher calling on her life, that of being a mother. She did not return to nursing until all three of her children entered school thirteen years later. A call for Robert to become pastor of Molena Baptist Church brought the family back to Georgia where daughter, Sheila was born in Thomaston. The arrival of a son, Bob came four years later in Gainesville while Robert was pastor of Airline Baptist Church. Bob’s arrival was a proud moment and completed the Cash family perfectly. The family moved to Eatonton in 1967 for Robert to become a bi-vocational pastor in small rural churches while working for Georgia Vocational Rehab. Eatonton became the family’s hometown where the children could form long lasting friendships and enjoy growing up with their beloved grandmother, Maude B. Edwards, Pauline’s mother. After her children were in school, Pauline returned to her nursing career. Her former high school principal, A.C. Dickey who was now the hospital administrator recruited her in 1970 to come work in the new Putnam General Hospital. She became the OR Supervisor and worked in the O.R. and Recovery Room for nearly 25 years. After retirement, Pauline joined the Pink Ladies Auxiliary and volunteered at the hospital to which she was so devoted. Pauline was her children’s greatest supporter and cheerleader. She chaperoned trips, worked in concession stands, baked cakes for fundraisers, paid for music lessons, and transported them to all their activities. She made great sacrifices so that her children would have opportunities to grow, thrive and succeed. She passed on her love of music to them and all three earned degrees in music – Pam became a band director, Sheila, an elementary music teacher and Bob, a church organist. Her sacrifices were rewarded in her children’s success and seeing them serve God in their churches and communities. During Robert’s sixty-two years of pastoring, Pauline’s time and talents supported his ministry by teaching, working in VBS and WMU, visiting church members, arranging flowers, cooking, and serving meals and baking her extraordinary cakes for church functions. She was a woman known for her wisdom, for counseling women and young people, for being an encourager and motivator, for her commitment to Christ, and for her prayer life. One church member called Pauline years later to say, PLEASE take me off your prayer list after giving birth to her fifth child! Pauline’s heart was her family. She was the gentle encourager to her daughters when they became mothers, giving them confidence and reassurance, which included giving her grandbabies their first bath. Her greatest joy in her retirement was working in her flowers, baking cakes to delight others, and watching her grandchildren grow. Generosity and compassion were Pauline’s strengths, and she was devoted to serving wherever needed, whether it was with her time, talent, or sacrificial monetary gifts. Her children saw her treat everyone with dignity and respect and learned that lesson well. She strongly believed in pursuing higher education and even in the last chapter of her life, encouraged staff at her assisted living facility to go back to school and achieve their life goals. Perhaps Pauline’s life motto was taken from a John Wesley quote which says, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” Pauline’s testimony will live on in the hearts and lives of those she deeply impacted. Our lives are richer for having known her, loved her and for being loved by her. Her prayers and ours have been answered as she is now whole again in the presence of Jesus where there is no more sorrow or pain, only joy for eternity! Pauline is survived by her husband of seventy-one years, Rev. Robert Cash, her children, Pam (Lew) Peters of Rome, Sheila (Terry) Clopton of Eatonton, and Bob Cash of Cumming, her grandchildren, Robert (Ivelesse) Peters, Heather (Tyson) Elliott, Michael (Rachel) Peters, Will Peters, Ryan (Sarah) Clopton, Jonathan (Janie) Clopton, her great grandchildren, Rosalie & Lewis Peters, Hayden Elliott, Justus Clopton, Cash & Hudson Clopton and many other extended family members. Pauline was predeceased by her parents, Maude Bateman Campbell Edwards and William E. Campbell, her brother, Col. Luther U. “Bubba” (Nell) Campbell, her uncle, Dr. Osgood (Frances) Bateman and many other loved family members. A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, January 27th at 2 pm at the First Baptist Church of Eatonton with visitation prior to the service at 1 pm. A private burial will be held at a later date. Williams Funeral Home of Eatonton is in charge of arrangements. The family expresses their deep appreciation to all who have cared for our wife and mother. There will be a reserved section of honor for current and former staff of Putnam General Hospital, PGH Auxiliary, healthcare providers, hospice personnel and caregivers. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to one of three organizations that were important to Pauline. Putnam General Hospital Auxiliary to purchase medical equipment, Attn. Tracy Stickley, 101 Lake Oconee Parkway, Eatonton, GA 31024. Sandersville School Building Authority, SSBA, PO Box 5923, Sandersville, GA 31082 for the renovation of Pauline’s high school auditorium set to become a city civic and cultural center. Coast for Christ Ministries, a ministry on the coast of Ghana, West Africa where Pauline’s family has served in missions in her great grandson’s homeland, 187 Lakecrest Drive, Milledgeville, GA 31061.

This is a courtesy announcement of May & Smith Funeral Directors in Sandersville, Georgia.