Pauline Vivian DeFosse

Pauline Vivian DeFosse, 95, of Burlington, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at the Klein Center in West Burlington, surrounded by the love of her family. She would have celebrated her 96th birthday on October 12.

Pauline was born October 12, 1930, in Prairie Grove, Iowa, to Lawrence and Grace Dickey Finke. She graduated from Danville High School and, on October 16, 1949, married the love of her life, Carl Franklin DeFosse, in Prairie Grove, Iowa. Together, Pauline and Carl shared 66 years of marriage, building a life centered around family, faith, hard work, and love.

Pauline and Carl were blessed with three children: Paula, Patricia, and Stephen. Their family was the center of Pauline’s world, and she poured her heart into being a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. 

Pauline was loving, kind, strong, patient and faithful.She gave so much of herself to the people she loved and created a lifetime of memories that her family will carry with them forever.

Some of the most treasured memories of Pauline were found in the simple moments—time spent together as a family, stories shared around the table, her wonderful cooking, and the warmth of being in her home. She was an excellent seamstress and a gifted cook, and she found joy in listening to music. For many years, she opened her home to children through her in-home daycare, caring for them with the same warmth and patience she gave her own family. She later worked for many years in food service for the Burlington School System.

Pauline was a longtime member of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. Her faith was an important part of her life, and she loved the Lord deeply. Her strength, grace, and unwavering faith were gifts she passed down to generations of her family.

She leaves behind her daughters, Paula (David) McPherson of Davenport and Patricia Chacey of Burlington; eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, and extended family members who loved her dearly.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Carl; her son, Stephen DeFosse; her parents; her brothers, Willett and Clifford Finke; and her sister, Delores “Elaine” Hagemeier.

Though her family will miss her more than words can express, they find comfort knowing that the woman who spent her life loving and caring for others was surrounded by that same love at the end. Pauline left this world peacefully, holding the hands of those who loved her, just as she had spent her life holding her family together.

Her love, her laughter, her strength, her faith, and her little bit of sass will live on in every generation she touched. She was an amazing woman and the epitome of a grandmother—everything a grandmother should be and everything her family hopes to carry forward.

A private family celebration of Pauline’s life will be held. She will be buried in Aspen Grove Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Unity Lutheran Church.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.