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Verlin Lee Lustfield, just four and a half years old, was the first burial in this "new" cemetery in May of 1938. His mom called him "Sonny." He died of pneumonia. His family moved on to Minnesota and the Dakotas, but many came "home" to Verlin for their final rest. His father died in 1968 with six daughters and four sons surviving. Verlin's would be the sole burial there until September, 1943, when infant Gerald Carnahan became the second buried here. In 1944 burials became more routine at the "new" cemetery which now accounts for the vast majority of funerals for Paullinians.
West Prairie View was opened when Paullina's Prairie View (formerly known as Union Cemetery) was nearing capacity. As is typical of the times in this area, and very unlike the older Prairie View, stones are limited to a twelve inch height and are very orderly. The grounds are impeccably maintained, and because of the flat terrain, it's comparatively easy to walk. West Prairie View is separated from Prairie View by Polk Avenue, which is only a country gravel road, paved directly in front of the cemetery. The road resumes a gravel surface as soon as you step one foot beyond the northernmost grave. The non-road sides back up to crop fields. This new cemetery is now nearing capacity. It remains to be seen where future generations will lie in final repose.
Located one mile south and about half a mile west of Paullina, you'll most often hear locals call this "The New Paullina Cemetery" as opposed to "The Old Paullina Cemetery" that is officially known as Prairie View.
Many of the long-term locally established families have members on both sides of the road, while some have still open sites on the more historic east side; the only sure way to know which side of the road one's people are is to go there and find the grave.
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