Pauline is the oldest living Black woman from the Across the Bridge community. Through her determination she attended LCC, when it was originally in Springfield, to continue her education. She also was part of their student government when LCC transitioned to its present location on 30th Avenue.
Her legacy included ensuring advancement of everyone. While employed at the State Employment Office she often was recognized for having the highest employment recruitment record. She was known for her networking abilities that allowed her to outreach to various members in the community seeking employment. That’s one way that she kept connected with people and got to know others she hadn’t met until they showed up at the employment office front desk and asked for her personally. Even today, people stop and thank her for her due diligence in helping them with employment, housing, connections in the community, etc.
In her youth, Pauline Gibson came to Eugene with her father, Paul and brother Joe. Pauline was the youngest of the four Gibson children who were all born and raised in Georgia. After her mother, Lula’s passing, Paul moved to Oregon with the two youngest children, in hopes of finding better employment. However, Paul and Joe eventually returned to Georgia. Her Aunt Bertha Johnson, asked if Pauline, her sister’s daughter, could stay with them and their three children in the 1940’s. That’s how her life began in Lane County.
She was a teenager when she married Frank Ruteldge Jr., across the bridge. During their union they had five children: Patricia, Frank III, Kathy, Rick and Duran.
